Alone
by ElfNight
Summary: After the war, the pilots pair off, leaving Wufei by himself. He takes a mission he doesn't expect to live through. THIS IS A SLASH STORY! 1x2x5, 3x4
1. Alone

**ALONE**

**AUTHOR:** LittleMouse

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own GW. Wish I did, really, I do...

**WARNINGS**: For mild violence, language, a bit of mild Fei-torture, and some not so mild m/m/m lemony bits. AU so far as the Endless Waltz, and has some OOC-ness.

**SUMMARY:** After the wars, all the Gundam pilots are paired up except Wufei, who takes a mission he doesn't expect to come back from. Rated NC-17 for violence, very mild torture and lemony goodness...

**A/N:** This story is the very first fanfic I ever wrote. The chapters are ridiculously short, it's a bit silly, and there are plot holes you could drive a Buick through. Still, it is my firstborn and my precious. So treat it gently. It has been re-beta'ed and adjusted accordingly.

**CHAPTER ONE: **Alone

_Alone._

_Always alone_.

Wufei leaned his forehead against the window in his office and stared out at the familiar view with unseeing eyes. He'd finished his last report ten minutes ago, but an overdeveloped sense of duty wouldn't let him leave work early - he had thirteen minutes to go.

_Why am I always left alone?_

He could hear coworkers down the hall, laughing, chattering and calling goodbyes to each other as they prepared for the weekend. He sighed softly, lifted his head and let it bang gently against the glass. He had the next day off, but wasn't looking forward to it. What was there to look forward to, an empty apartment? A sparse dinner for one? Books he'd already read, a flickering television that had never been able to hold his interest?

_I can always do katas until I collapse._

He sighed again, the sound faint and lost in the empty building. He lifted his head and let it bang harder this time. The glass was cool and smooth against his skin, turning opaque where his breath touched it. He raised a finger and traced the Chinese symbol for 'one' on the foggy surface.

_Me._

He let his thoughts drift back to the war, not flinching away from those memories like he usually did. He remembered himself as he'd been then, solitary by desire, harsh and unforgiving to the others who surrounded him - he smiled bitterly. It was no wonder they'd left him alone. Who really wanted to deal with rants about justice and honor mingled with sarcasm and long periods of strict silence? The other four pilots had gotten along much better with each other, and Duo and Quatre had managed to get along relatively well with him, although Duo often came near driving him insane. Heero and Trowa he'd silently respected, keeping his words and actions strictly formal when he was around them. He'd wrapped himself in thoughts of vengeance over Meiran, vengeance multiplied to infinity when L5 was destroyed. He'd used it all as an excuse to keep himself aloof from the others, fearful, somewhere deep inside, of getting close and losing them, too. Still...

_Still, it was a surprise._

It was a _vast_ surprise, when, after they'd joined the Preventers - reluctant or cheerful as their personalities dictated - after they'd joined, the others had suddenly paired off. Heero and Duo, Quatre and Trowa. Leaving him astonished, stunned.

Alone.

Alone, when the war was over and his thirst for revenge had been subdued. When he was ready to let someone in, and was cautiously opening his doors to the only four people in the universe he thought would understand him. Then they were couples, with no real room for a fifth wheel.

Oh, they'd included him in their lives. Asked him to dinner, coerced him into going to movies, plays, on special outings. He'd been paired with all of them, individually and together, on several missions. But there was a barrier now, even stronger than the barriers he'd put between them during the war. They were _together_, had someone special - someone who made them smile when they saw them, someone whose hand they grasped without thought... He'd begun to carefully excuse himself from their invitations. Had by back ways and schemes got himself assigned to solo missions. His gentle extraction from their lives had been so subtle he didn't think they'd noticed it. It hurt to be around them.

_It hurt more, when they didn't realize I was gone._

He'd been 'temporarily' assigned here, away from headquarters, at this little outpost on L4. He'd been here almost eight months, had gotten a few emails in the first two months but they'd tapered off. Heero and Trowa's first, then Duo's, then die-hard Quatre's. He'd been careful to reply only to every third one, so it was no more than he expected. He _had_ to get permanently away from the agony of seeing them so happy, wanting to be happy for them but feeling so jealous. Especially of...

_No. Don't think about them..._

He lifted his head for the hardest bang yet.

"Chang."

He turned sharply, saw his commanding officer framed in the doorway.

"Sir?"

Major Hernbeck looked down his long, thin nose at the young man standing near the window. He'd been none too pleased when a Gundam pilot had been assigned here, expecting a glory hog. What he'd been given had turned out to be a stellar Preventer, with an unrivaled mission success rate and a habit of disappearing into the wallpaper. Chang obeyed his orders to the letter, until he went on missions. Then all his careful plans, designed to catch the eyes of the higher-ups and get him _out_ of this rathole, were completely ignored as Chang Wufei did what _he_ felt was right to finish out his missions.

Hernbeck had begun his revenge with mild disciplinary actions, demerits, extra work, fewer days off. He'd stepped it up to notes of insubordination in Chang's permanent record, careful to squirrel away the reports the young man filled out in detail into some dusty filing room. _His_ version of what happened was what his superiors saw. His version was what was keeping this - _boy -_ here. Hernbeck considered that the worst punishment ever, and was reduced to despising Wufei when he didn't seem to mind. Lately his punishments had been back-to-back missions, constant meetings and demands for reports to be completed scarcely after he'd ordered them written.

"Sir?" Wufei asked again, his voice low and tired. Hernbeck sneered at him, trying to let his expression show his contempt for the short, slim figure who dared to prompt him.

"Mission, Chang. You leave in two hours." He dropped a file on the desk and walked from the room. Normally he'd let a subordinate deliver that, but when he'd realized Chang was still here he couldn't resist. _That_ mission was going to be absolute hell, and he sniggered to himself, wishing he could have waited around to see the boy's reaction.

Wufei reached out a slender hand and opened the plain folder. Velvet dark eyes widened as he read the mission details, and Hernbeck would have been sadly disappointed if he had stayed. A rare and lovely smile flitted across the strained young face.

_Thank you, gods. Thank you, Nataku._

This mission would probably kill him.


	2. The Mission

**CHAPTER 2**: The Mission

Less than two hours later Wufei was on a copter heading for jungle, a pack at his feet and a parachute on his back, mission parameters whirling in his head. A mercenary group was constantly building bases somewhere in this thick, overgrown region. Preventer agents would destroy them and they would be rebuilt somewhere else within a month. Communication towers, weapon dumps, supplies, small hidden prisons - no matter how many were destroyed, more kept cropping up. A defector had finally admitted that there was someone big behind them - who even he didn't know - but the man came once or twice a year to oversee 'production'. The Preventers had kept an agent watching for him for three months now, switching them out every two weeks or so as malaria, wounds, and/or loneliness took their toll. One agent had been discovered and killed. Two had been hospitalized with severe illnesses. No one wanted this mission anymore.

Wufei welcomed it with open arms.

He sat stone faced throughout the flight, ignoring curious or sympathetic looks from the other Preventers on board. The file had included a long list of Preventers who'd exercised their right to refuse, and passed a dirty job along. Even if he'd wanted to pass, Hernbeck wouldn't have let him. He saw no need to share this information with anyone. He knew the man actively disliked him, knew he did his best to exhaust him, embarrass and humiliate him.

He couldn't care less.

Someone signaled to him with frantic motions, indicating they were approaching the jump site. He lifted his small pack and secured it to the chest harness, went over one last mental checklist. He nodded sharply to the man waiting at the open side of the copter, and stepped forward. The other man, older, with eyes that looked like a sad basset hound, pressed something into his hand before hitting his shoulder in the signal to jump.

He floated down through inky blackness - night jumps were dangerous, but they couldn't risk the mercs seeing the copter or his parachute - and was buffeted by first wind, then trees. He was caught fifty feet above the ground, and was very thankful for Trowa's lessons in gymnastics as he struggled down from the high branches. Trowa had made them all take them, patient with Duo's antics and Quatre's hesitation, with Heero's perfectionism and Wufei's sullen silence. The Doctors had suggested they each teach the others some of their expertise...

_Stop thinking about them._

He finally reached earth, sent a swift thank you to whatever gods might be listening, and ghosted into the undergrowth. He took a split second to look down at his hand, grinning when he saw a chocolate bar between his fingers. That he'd save for a special treat. He had to get busy now. He had a lot to do before daybreak.

*

Duo dashed into the conference room and dropped into the chair next to Heero with a thud. "Not late?" He asked, staring around in amazement.

"No." Quatre said, smiling at him. "Commander Une isn't here yet."

Heero scowled at Duo, the look oddly affectionate. "Do we know what this meeting is about?"

All three of the others shook their heads, exchanging puzzled glances.

"Do you?" Quatre asked softly.

"No."

Trowa looked up from across the table, his one visible eye calm. "Mission?"

"Haven't heard any rumors of something big." Duo argued. It would have to be something big, if they were all required for a mission.

"It's not something big,"said a firm voice from the door, and all four heads turned to watch Commander Une walk in, noting the presence of Sally Po behind her with no little surprise. The doctor wasn't working for the Preventers any longer, marriage and an unexpected pregnancy had changed her life plans. Her daughter was a month old now, and they'd all become honorary uncles.

_'All except' - _Duo winced, and cut himself off. Une was still talking, and he had a feeling he didn't want to miss anything. Wouldn't be proper to drown in sorrow right now. He could do that later.

"It's not something big to the world. I think, perhaps, it may be very big to you four." She handed each of them a folder. "Tell me what you think of this mission."

Silence reigned in the room while they read the contents. Soon they were all scowling at the papers. Heero was the first to speak.

"Poorly planned."

"Yes." Quatre spoke up. "There should be backup. There should be a _partner_. There should be more supplies and less risk and... and a lot of other things!"

"It's a death sentence, as is. Good thing all these guys were smart enough to refuse." Duo put in his input.

Trowa just frowned down at the papers, then looked questioningly at Une.

She took a deep breath, not sure she could handle the reaction she knew she was about to get. And when she added the rest of her information, and Sally gave hers... Ah well. Best to bite the bullet and get it over with.

"Wufei accepted it."

Four pairs of eyes stared blankly at her.

She waited.

They didn't disappoint her.

"He _what?!"_ Duo shouted, sitting bolt upright, amazement and anger on his usually cheerful face. Quatre gasped hard, speechless for the moment. Heero and Trowa exchanged wordless glances and reached for the mission specs again.

"I knew you four were planning on surprising him on your next leave. I thought I'd make sure he was going to be there - and I found this."

"Is he already gone?" Heero's voice was cold and stern.

"Yes."

"How soon can we leave?" Duo asked, his voice still harsh with anger. He was going to beat some sense into Wufei's thick head when they found him!

"Soon. But there's more." Une's voice distracted them - they stared at her again, waiting. "I'm not entirely sure he was given his refusal rights." Now the glances they exchanged were confused. She sighed again, and handed out some more papers.

"Major Sam Hernbeck is Commander at Wufei's temp post. The first page is his report of Wufei's requests to remain. The next page..." There was a brief rattle of papers. "The next page is the reports he's been filing in the databases. If you keep going, you'll see his opinions of Wufei's missions, followed by Wufei's own reports - which we had to dig to find." A brief expression of anger crossed her usually calm features. She let them read in silence for a few moments, watched without surprise as confused expressions turned startled, then furious.

"This... this..." Duo had to try hard to get the words out. "This isn't _fair!_ It isn't right! If 'Fei'd stuck to these plans he'd be _dead!_" The other pilots nodded in complete agreement.

"I won't argue with you."

"Demerits... disciplinary action..." Quatre was reading one page aloud, and his face was suddenly dark. "Wait - he only gave him six hours between these two missions! And - and he was three weeks undercover on this one and got twelve hours off before going undercover on the next? But... but that's not long enough to get the first one out of his head, nowhere near enough to prepare for the second - is the man trying to _kill _him?"

Une sighed. She didn't answer the question, turned her eyes to Sally instead.

"Apparently." That woman spoke for the first time, and the four men stared holes through her. "I spoke with the doctor at the temp post. After Wufei's last mission he recommended he be allowed a six week leave. He cited exhaustion and severe nervous strain - you can read for yourselves that it was a pretty hard job. And Wufei had some minor injuries - bruises and strained muscles and a possible fractured rib. The x-ray tech had gone home for the evening - Wufei was supposed to be at the clinic first thing the next morning. Instead he requested rescheduling for the next day because of heavy paperwork." The faces turned to her were getting darker with every word she spoke. "The request came through Major Hernbeck's personal assistant, not from Wufei directly." She paused.

"There's more." Trowa said softly, eyes never leaving hers. She sighed.

"By the next morning, Wufei was already gone. He apparently signed the medical waiver for the mission. I wondered about that - he's stubborn, but not insane. I took a look at the actual paper scan. I know Wufei's signature. It wasn't even close."

Quatre hissed.

"And..." She stopped again, gathered strength for the next bit. It had horrified her, she'd had to read the file three times before she'd believed she was actually seeing those words. "They didn't - they never gave him the time to get his vaccinations. No malaria shots, nothing. They sent him into one of the most disease-ridden areas left on Earth or the four colonies, sent him in injured, exhausted and vulnerable and didn't even give him the decency of... of basic protection..." She trailed off, her voice thick with tears.

The four just gaped at her, stunned even out of their anger. That last bit of information had knocked the support out from under them. It took even Duo a moment to find his voice.

"Major Sam Hernbeck, huh?" Something in his oddly pleasant tone warned Une.

"You leave Hernbeck to me. We haven't told you everything yet." The four pairs of eyes jerked to her.

"Oh, no. There can't possibly be more..." Quatre groaned, leaning his forehead against the table. Trowa put a soothing hand on his shoulder. Heero and Duo just stared at their Commander, waiting.

"The files have been neatly arranged so that if anyone pulled them up, it would look like Wufei's only been gone a few days."

"And?" Heero.

"He's been there..." She stopped, took a deep breath. "He's been there for over a month. The last transmission they got from him said his equipment was failing, requested a new radio transmitter that they did not send. 'Budget issues' is what the file says. The light sabotage the mission required for camouflage has continued, although sporadically. But..." She sighed again, very softly. "They haven't heard from Wufei in the last three weeks."


	3. Boss Man

**CHAPTER 3** - Boss Man

Wufei crouched low on the branch, hidden by foliage as he watched the group of mercs beneath him. He ignored the cold, the abject misery of his body - he'd been waiting for this meeting. He wouldn't miss it for anything. His dark eyes roamed over the group, never quite settling on anyone while he filed their features away in his memory. He knew that a direct stare would be sensed by these highly-trained men. He especially memorized the tall man in the dusty suit who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. His pale, aristocratic face was pained as he sat on a makeshift seat provided by one of his men. He looked vaguely familiar, but Wufei couldn't place him. Had he seen him before? Maybe just his picture...

This was Boss Man.

Wufei automatically used the term he'd heard the mercs use for him. Boss Man, the reason for the mission. Identifying him meant Wufei could go home. Could have a hot soaking bath and sleep for a week. If this mission took him out in a fight he would have welcomed it - it was what he had expected, almost hoped for. But he had no desire to die tired and dirty, of a creeping sickness that his body was too exhausted to battle.

He suppressed a desire to cough and slid a hand around his side. That rib was his worst weakness right now. Fractured it may have started out, but every time he had to pull himself into a tree, or dive down a hill to escape detection, or swim across a river to get to his next target, that rib turned into a red hot poker of agony. He knew he was forcing it to fracture again and again, sending the breaks deeper every time, but there wasn't much he could do about it. It was already bound tightly in the remains of his spare shirt. He had no soothing ointment, no painkillers and no time to rest and let it mend.

And this place - he was torn between love and hate for it. It was beautiful, so beautiful. Even tired and hungry and in pain he could appreciate that. He had a deep fondness for beautiful things. But it was so hot during the day, the moist air thick and hard to breathe. Nights were bone-chilling cold, and he had little shelter and no protective clothes. The rations he had brought were long since gone. He'd been given enough for two weeks if he'd eaten sparingly - and oh, hadn't he done that? - he was reduced to scrounging for whatever fruit and roots he knew were edible. There wasn't a lot of it.

He'd lost weight over the last eight months anyway, but this mission was wearing him down to skin and bones. He'd been scrubbing his face in a small spring yesterday, paused to watch a flurry of birds go by. When he'd seen the monkey they were fleeing from, he'd turned back to continue washing and froze when he saw the reflection in the still pool. His face had managed to keep a little roundness before, even with what he'd lost - now it was gaunt, eyes hollow and sunken, cheekbones and jawline razor sharp. His hair was much longer than before the war's end, touching the bottom of his shoulder blades now, and hung in heavy, matted locks around his skeletal face, thick with dirt and debris.

He'd spent a few precious minutes with a broken comb, teasing out knots and tangles, ducked his head in the spring again and again until his hair was as clean and straight as it was going to get with his limited resources. He'd long since lost his hair tie, and cut a strip of his much abused spare shirt to wrap his hair back in something resembling a ponytail. He'd felt reasonably better - there was something about clean and neat that cheered him up no end. He knew he still looked like a death's head. He could see every bone in his hands and his wrists looked unaccountably fragile - but he also knew he'd managed to put on a little muscle, that the vaguely defined abs he'd had before were now washboard tight, that all the muscles worked to near-perfection by his constant katas and sword practice had _become_ perfection with swimming and hiking and tree climbing.

_If I get out of here, I'm keeping them this way._ It would compensate a little for his natural plainness, he felt, in the astronomically unlikely event he ever found someone to be not-alone with. Unlikely, but his depression of the months before had faded over these past few weeks - the longer he surprised himself by living, the more his mood had lightened. He no longer welcomed death with every fibre of his being - only half of them now. He smiled a little in a moment of rare humor, and turned his wandering attention back to the group of men beneath him.

They were discussing manpower, supplies, contracts - out here in the middle of nowhere, where they were certain nothing would be overheard, they allowed themselves full reign. Top secret issues were dragged into the open with a feeling of perfect security, while a small body with a vast intellect crouched in the darkness above them and memorized every word they said.


	4. Arrival

**CHAPTER 4** - Arrival

Four former Gundam pilots landed in a small clearing on the outskirts of the jungle and immediately faded into the shadows. After a moment they moved together again, hidden by foliage and darkness. No one spoke, only their eyes and hands communicated. They immediately saw a large path torn through the undergrowth. It was fresh, and highly visible, and no _way_ was Wufei responsible for that - but they followed it anyway. It might lead them to their wayward friend.

It didn't. It lead them to another small clearing about a mile and a half into the jungle, where a youngish Preventer was cheerfully setting up house, with a tent, campfire and boxes and bags of supplies. "Hello!" He greeted them brightly, "I suppose you four are the pilots?"

They exchanged astonished glances - no one was supposed to know they were here. The agent seemed to understand their confusion.

"Oh, don't worry, Major Hernbeck just felt I should know you were coming. Looking for the last agent, right? Good luck with that." His rather pleasant face took on the reflective sneer of Hernbeck the way most of the agents at the small outpost did when they referred to Wufei. A Commander's feelings were contagious - what he thought of an agent was what everyone in his post automatically thought of them. Wufei's 'myself-to-myself' attitude had won him no friends among his current fellows.

Duo felt anger bubbling up inside him - he didn't even have to guess why the man was sneering. They'd spent a day in Wufei's office and apartment, trying to get a feeling for their friend before they came here, under strict orders from Une to do nothing and say nothing to Hernbeck to make him worry for his skin. She wanted that hide herself. They grudgingly buried their fury, only telling the man they were under orders to 'retrieve' Wufei, as his expertise was needed for a highly confidential mission.

The man hadn't liked it. Hadn't wanted to let them in the barren little pocket-sized office, hadn't wanted to give them directions to Wufei's small apartment. He'd done it - orders of full cooperation from Commander Une were not to be ignored or treated lightly. Things they'd found and observed in those two places had left them angrier than ever.

"He was told to keep this mission top secret." Heero's voice was cool, dangerous.

The other agent lost his sneer and swallowed. "Just me... he just let me know, so I could be prepared if you needed help. But you know we haven't had any information about Chang for weeks. Office pool said he was dead two weeks ago." He didn't understand the sudden expressions on the other Preventers' faces - a mix of fear, anger, dread - he just suddenly wished he was anywhere but here.

"Why do you have so many supplies?" Quatre's blue eyes had taken in every comfort in the tiny clearing, and now gazed at him in surprise.

"I'm here for at least a week. Major Hernbeck didn't want me to be without _anything_ I might need. He takes excellent care of his agents." The man lifted his chin in snobbish pride, his eyes going over the sparse equipment the four carried on them.

The pilots exchanged glances, remembering the incredibly short list of what Wufei had in his pack when he'd been sent here.

Trowa shook his head softly, and gestured to the others. "We should go."

"Yes." Heero agreed, "Dawn soon."

Duo and Quatre melted into the darkness almost before he finished speaking, and Trowa quickly followed.

The agent just gaped after them, then at Heero. "I thought you would at least want something to eat before you go?"

"No. But..."he stepped closer, and his voice became menacing. "If you stay alive, you will keep food prepared. You will be ready to radio a copter in an instant when we return. And you will give me your medical kit." He'd already seen the nice kit placed on a nearby stump, with two smaller first aid kits nearby.

The agent gawped at him. "My... my med kit? But what if I need it?"

"We will be back soon enough if you do. You may keep your first aid kits." He walked past the protesting man and scooped up the small kit, vanishing after his friends before the agent could follow.

Once they were together again in the welcoming darkness, he split them up, he and Duo, Quatre and Trowa. They went in the two most directions most likely to lead to Wufei, the med kit also split neatly between them. Duo and Heero were taking a southern route, toward the river, while the others headed west toward some small mountains. There were merc bands in either direction, and Wufei would probably be watching them.

_If he's alive._ Duo forced that thought from his mind, ignoring the sudden feeling of nausea in the pit of his stomach. He turned violet-blue eyes on his friend, partner, lover.

"Heero?"

Prussian blue eyes turned to him, mute question in their depths.

"If... when we find 'Fei..." He trailed off, a little uncertain. They'd never actually spoken of this out loud, and he wasn't sure that what he'd reasoned out was the truth.

"When we find Wufei, we will not let him go again." Heero's voice was calm, certain. Duo's heart broke through a restraint it had felt for years, and despite the dangerous mission they were on and the dark jungle they were in, he threw both arms around Heero and kissed him thoroughly. He felt Heero grin against his lips, and return the kiss with equal passion.

"I knew you felt the same way." Duo grinned at him, white teeth flashing in the darkness. During the war he'd been hard torn between the two, wanting Heero with everything in him, coveting Wufei with a passion no less intense. Heero had taken time to break down, but finally admitted he loved Duo, too. 'Fei had been - difficult. He'd seemed so emotional, so free with his thoughts - it had taken a while for the others to realize that was his mask. The real Wufei was the quiet boy who sat curled in the corner of the couch reading poetry, who moved through his katas and practice like the same poetry, who shared his real, shy smiles so sparingly that each memory of one was treasured.

The real Wufei had been persuaded to play Twister with them once, when it had been just the three of them, snowed in at a small safehouse. Heero and Duo had been secret lovers for almost a month, and the game had been unbearably arousing. They'd been very thankful for the loose, warm clothing the cold weather required. The third time they'd collapsed in a twisted heap, Heero and Duo had caught each other staring at Wufei - the exotic boy had been laying on his stomach, legs twisted in Duo's, one arm pinned under Heero. His black silk hair was escaping its tight ponytail, small wisps laying lovingly against his copper skin. He'd been laughing, his real, rich, throaty laugh, onyx eyes smiling at nothing. He'd been unbearably beautiful, and their arousals had abruptly gotten worse. They'd stared at each other in amazement, and flushed and looked away at the same time, not sure if they were betraying each other or - or if something deeper, more important was happening.

Wufei had seemed to sense their sudden discomfort - he'd wriggled free of them and stammered an excuse, escaping to his room. The next morning his mask was firmly in place, and it had taken weeks for them to see the real Wufei again. They'd never spoken of that moment when the Twister game had turned into something awesome, but they'd never forgotten it. Duo's heart knew Heero had felt the same way he did, _still_ felt the same way he did, but his brain had never let him let go of fear long enough to ask.

"Maybe we'll have to thank Hernbeck, after we beat the crap out of him." Duo mused aloud, and Heero chuckled softly, taking his hand and squeezing it. As much as they'd both wanted to have Wufei with them, to be able to hold him and love him and know he was safe, they knew suddenly that without this mission, without that Major's underhanded scheming, they'd never have got up the courage to ask one another, let alone the object of their hidden fantasies. They had admittedly been caught up in one another after the war, free to let everyone know they were together, had laughed with delight to discover Quatre and Trowa had been keeping secrets as well. There had been a little relief mixed in with their delight - Quatre and Trowa together meant Wufei was still free.

When they'd come down from the high of being openly in love, they'd realized that 'Fei had distanced himself. At first they'd thought - had discussed between the four of them - that perhaps Wufei was uncomfortable with the idea of his male friends being together. But he'd never seemed that way when they deliberately invited him to places that encouraged intimacy, holding hands and occasionally sharing chaste kisses. He'd seemed happy enough for them - just distant. Before they'd had time to work out what was wrong, he'd been sent to a temp post - and never came back. Their emails had often - too often, they realized now - been replied to with the standard, automatic 'sorry, this agent is unavailable' message, the one that meant 'Fei was on a mission. The few replies they _had_ received they'd treasured, although they'd been short and to the point.

One by one, they had discovered that their emails came straight back, that any attempt to communicate with Wufei was given the run-around. Phone messages were replied to by a bored assistant, who informed them 'Fei was 'out of the office, in a meeting, on a mission.' Email just didn't work - nothing but 'error - undeliverable'. They all felt stupid now, but at the time they'd still been so busy with missions and each other that they'd let it slide. When they realized they hadn't seen Wufei in almost nine months they'd planned a surprise visit, asked Une for simultaneous leaves - and got the information that had blasted their calm world.

At the memory of some of Sally's information, Duo increased his speed. Heero didn't need to ask why. The same thoughts were galloping through his head, too. He had less experience with emotion than Duo - it had taken him a long time to work out exactly what he felt for the Chinese pilot. When he'd realized the feelings were nearly identical to what he felt for Duo he'd been astonished. Now that he knew Duo felt the same, he wanted nothing more than to find his Wufei - _their_ Wufei - and drag him home to keep him safe for the rest of his life. If they found nothing but a corpse - he refused to let his mind go there. Murder and mayhem lay in that direction of thought. They _would_ find Wufei, maybe sick, maybe injured, maybe perfectly fine - but he'd be alive. A sudden thought occurred to him, and apparently to Duo at the exact same moment.

"'Ro - what if he doesn't want to be with us?"

Heero growled. "I don't plan on giving him a choice."

His partner laughed softly. "Me, either. We'll just beat down any objection he might have. Even if he's... straight..." That was Duo's current deepest fear. He loved Wufei, could be happy with him as a friend... but he _wanted_ 'Fei, too. Wanted him desperately. "Even if, we'll keep him with us. Right, 'Ro?"

"Hell, yes." Heero grunted, and Duo laughed again.

"I'm getting sudden visions of handcuffs and leg..." He stopped abruptly and vanished into undergrowth as they heard movement ahead. He didn't have to look to know Heero was gone on the other side of the faint trail they were following. He crouched down in the darkness, watching, wishing for it to be 'Fei, already knowing their friend wouldn't be making such a racket.

Two mercs emerged from the foliage, talking together in carelessly loud voices.

"Stupid patrols. Nothing out here."

"Somebody's sabotaging us."

"It ain't Preventers. They blow us up, they don't do little things like's been going on. Somebody with no supplies is doin' this. Probably some left-behind villager."

"Reckon it's that pretty little thing we saw couple weeks ago?"

"Little Asian boy?"

Every muscle in Duo's body stiffened.

"Yeah. I'd like to find him again. He wouldn't get away from me twice."

"Me, neither. Keep that tucked away in my tent. Reckon he's a villager?"

"What else would he be? Too young to be a Preventer. Too smart, too. Got away clean as a whistle. Didn't know there was Asian villagers, though."

"Think there was a few. Japs, mostly."

The other man grunted in reply.

"Wanta go look for him?"

"We're on patrol."

"So? We can patrol over at the river. Marcus' seen him twice over there."

"Catch him?"

"No. Little boy's slicker 'en a weasel."

The other man laughed, a deep, ugly laugh. "_I'll_ make 'im slicker 'en..." Their voices trailed off as they vanished in the distance.

Duo slid from cover and stared at Heero, who'd emerged as well. Without a word they headed for the river, forsaking the winding trail the mercs were following in favor of a straight shot through the undergrowth. They _had_ to get there first - _had_ to find 'Fei first.


	5. By the River

**CHAPTER 5** - By the River

Wufei reached the river as dawn was breaking over the treetops. He climbed to his perch slowly, every part of his body trembling with the bone-deep ache of complete and utter exhaustion. It was letdown, he knew, from completing his mission, finally finding Boss Man and getting a good enough look to identify him. He'd hoped the thin adrenaline he'd been operating on would keep him going until he could take the Plan B option of getting out of the jungle to a town about twenty miles away. He seemed to be out of luck - he wasn't going anywhere without a rest.

He settled in the welcoming crook of a huge branch, bracing his back against the tree trunk. It was a space nearly as wide as a futon, and he'd learned over the last month to sleep without nearly falling out and killing himself.

_What a ridiculously dishonorable way to die that would be._

His lips quirked in a small amount of amusement. He wrapped his arms around himself, glad the sun was coming up, eager to have the cold chased from his skin, wishing he could chase it from his soul. He sighed, squirming a little as he tried to get comfortable. He'd visited each of his other hideaways after Boss Man's meeting was over, eliminating every trace of his presence that he could find. After he rested he'd do the same here - it would be no more than packing up the tiny amount of food he'd foraged into his pack as rations for the trip, followed by the shredded remains of his spare shirt. He had them reasonably well hidden right now, and couldn't force himself to care much if anyone found them. No matter the satisfaction at mission complete, or the knowledge that if he died now, someone else would have to start all over - he wanted rest, he'd _have_ rest, and the world could explode for all he cared. He allowed his aching eyes to slide shut.

_*_

Heero found the shirt first - a shredded thing that was little more than sleeves and a neckband, carefully folded and tucked away under a bush. He held it out to Duo, knowing they both recognized it. It was a plain grey t-shirt that had once had some Chinese characters on the front. They'd both hated it, it washed out Wufei's bronze skin and made him look yellow and ill. Duo made a face at Heero that said he was glad the shirt was dead, and Heero grinned back. They were suddenly very happy - that shirt hadn't been laying there for two weeks. Maybe two days, but no longer. So 'Fei was at least alive that recently.

Duo found the food stash next. Carefully secreted in the bole of a tree, with a sign they recognized as one they had made up during the war, a casual twisting of twigs to mark where it lay. It looked no different from the foliage around it unless you knew what you were seeing. They stared at the meager bits of withered fruit and the roots they knew were barely edible. If this was what Wufei was existing on... Blue eyes met, and their search became more thorough still.

They were still hunting when they heard the voices of the two mercs from earlier, laughing and boasting to each other of what they'd do if they found their prey. It seemed unlikely, as loud as they were. Duo and Heero were forced to separate and hunt for cover, their eyes wordlessly warning the other to be careful.

Duo crouched against a sheltering tree, watching to see if either man came into view. He was completelyunprepared for the hand that wrapped around his braid, giving it a sharp, angry tug. He jerked his eyes up to meet a pair of onyx eyes staring down, narrowed in anger. A second later and they were wide with surprise at the look of complete and utter joy they met, the relieved smile that nearly split Duo's face in half. Another laugh from the invisible mercs made Wufei shove the surprise away.

"Get up here." He hissed, jerking the braid again.

Duo was more than happy to obey. He scrambled up the tree until he was on the wide branch Wufei had retreated to, and took the smaller boy completely by surprise when he yanked him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Don't you ever _dare_ do this to us again." Duo whispered against his ear, his breath hot on Wufei's skin, causing the boy to tremble slightly.

"Do _what_ again?" He whispered back, but didn't wait for an answer.

The two mercenaries crashed into view, and he pulled Duo with him tight against the tree trunk, ignoring the fact that the other boy still had his arms firmly around him, showing no signs of letting go. They watched and listened until the two men, who never once thought to look up, vanished from sight. Wufei was inclined to wait longer, making sure they didn't come back, but Duo was not.

Slim fingers wrapped around Wufei's chin, tugging the other boy's face back to his. Then, to Wufei's complete and utter astonishment, soft lips pressed against his in a desperate, needy kiss.

Duo didn't give him a chance to respond - he was too afraid he wouldn't. He pulled away almost as soon as he touched, although his heart and libido screamed at him in anger. "Don't ever - don't _ever_ make us worry about you like this again! Understand?" He still didn't wait for a response. "You stay here. I _mean_ it, 'Fei." He slid down the tree and went in search of Heero.

Wufei stared after him for a moment, his mind blank with shock. 

_Did Duo just... kiss me?_

He shook his head in disbelief. 

_No. Well, yes, but he was worried. Why were they worried about me? Just worried, that's all. It's like Duo to do something that... weird... wonderful... when he's upset._

He forced away a tiny feeling of delight, rubbing his chest against a sudden inexplicable pain. 

_Baka._

He ignored Duo's command, sliding down noiselessly from the tree and standing very still for a moment. His equilibrium threatened to abandon him, and his legs were disturbingly weak. 

_Didn't get enough rest._

He wasn't truly sure he'd gotten any at all. One moment he'd closed his eyes, the next they'd jerked open to the crude sound of men discussing how they'd rape some victim they were looking for. He felt unutterably sorry for whoever it was, and hoped they were far away from here. What they'd been describing sounded incredibly unpleasant - some of it sounded impossible.

He shook his head - he needed to get what little supplies he had left, get out of this place. If Duo and Heero were here on some mission of their own, they were more than capable of finishing it without him. If they wanted help he'd give them what information he had about the area, but he didn't fool himself into thinking he'd be able to help them in any physical way. He was about at the end of his resources. He took a shaky, careful step.

_Yes, definitely scraping the bottom of the barrel. _

The next step was easier, and the next easier still. He took a dozen more of them silently into the sheltering undergrowth before two sets of familiar arms wrapped around him, pulling him tight against his friends.

"You don't listen well, do you, 'Fei?" Duo's voice was soft against his temple.

"Doesn't listen at all." Heero's voice was a growl against the top of his head, his strong arms oddly welcome around his shoulders.

Wufei was suddenly uncertain of how he was remaining on his feet - knowing he was safe made the past months just seem to come crashing down on him.His knees turned to water, the ground seemed to disappear. The other two felt him give way, and their arms tightened gently around him.

"S'okay, 'Fei. We've got you."

Those were the last words he remembered for awhile - soft darkness wrapped itself around him and pulled him in.


	6. Country Club

**CHAPTER 6** - Country Club

Duo and Heero stood close together for a moment, just holding the unconsciousboy in their arms. Both of them wished hard they could pour their strength into the small exhausted body they pressed close to their hearts. Heero forced himself to pull away from the sweet hug and lifted Wufei easily, cradling him like a child against his chest.

Duo reached out a hand and brushed a few wisps that had escaped the makeshift ponytail out of 'Fei's face. "He's thin."

"Very." Heero agreed. He _could_ have been cradling a child in his arms.

"No fever, though."

"That's good."

"Yes." Duo's slim fingers traced a sharp cheekbone. "Should we check him for injuries?"

"Let's get him back to that camp first. Call Trowa."

Duo took the communicator from his belt and spoke softly into it. "T? Package acquired."

"D?" The static voice replied, relief plainly audible even over the tiny speaker. "Good. Next phase?"

"Meet at the country club."

"Roger."

A new voice cut in. "D? Q. Package condition?"

"Full unknown. Suspect... poor."

"Aware?"

"Was."

"Roger. Out." The communicator went silent.

Duo exchanged a glance with Heero, and they both struck out through the undergrowth again, Duo going first and careful not to let wayward branches and leaves strike against either of the boys behind him. They deliberately avoided any paths, and got to the 'country club' camp much later than the other two. Wufei hadn't stirred once, which caused them no small amount of concern. It was afternoon when they appeared in the campsite, and Trowa and Quatre shot to their feet. The other agent was nowhere in sight.

"He's off on recon. Blundering about like a buffalo." Quatre said, as he spread a blanket for Heero to lay his precious burden on. They all got their first really good look at Wufei in the clear sunlight, and all four faces were grim. Wufei's own face was pale, heavy dark circles under his eyes, cheeks hollow and skin tight across his bones. They saw just how thin he was, and their hearts ached. Quatre slid to his knees next to him and started running practiced hands over his friend, checking arms and legs first for injuries, then moving on to his torso.

When he reached the left side of his ribcage Wufei moaned, and slender hands shoved at his without the Chinese boy waking up. Quatre eased the ragged shirt up to find three things they hadn't known. First, Wufei was injured. His torso was wrapped in strips of dirty gray fabric, and the skin they could see was dark with bruises. Second, that he was beautifully muscled - they'd never seen him without at least the blue tank top. His body was sculpted with lean, ropy muscles that made him whipcord beautiful instead of bulky. Third... Wufei had a tattoo. They couldn't quite tell what it was - bruising and dirt hid details from them. A snake, maybe, curled around his bellybutton and wrapped around his right side to his back.

"I didn't know he had that." Quatre stated the obvious as he flicked out a knife and quickly sliced away the bandages. They were tied on in some intricate fashion that he was unwilling to waste the time to puzzle out. Besides, he'd never wrap his friend back up in these disgustingly dirty things.

The ribs revealed were achingly visible, the left side blue and swollen. A shallow bullet wound, little more than a graze, was burned along the top of his right side. It was at least a week old, perhaps more, caked with dried blood and looked slightly infected.

Trowa turned to the supplies, came back with several bottles of distilled water and some clean cloths. Quatre poured water onto one cloth, then lay it gently over the bloody wound. As soon as his hands were empty Trowa had them full of disinfectant wipes, and had turned away to start heating the rest of the water. Heero and Duo, knowing they weren't needed, just crouched on their heels to watch as their friends took care of Wufei, wiping away the dirt and grime, gently loosening the dried blood and cleaning out the gash revealed. Quatre put on a tidy bandage while Trowa spread some ointment carefully over the swollen ribs on the other side, then Quatre wrapped him neatly back up in shining white gauze.

"Sally would be so proud of you two." Duo said jokingly, reaching out a careful finger to stroke the edge of the tattoo. There was still too much yellow, purple and red bruising on 'Fei's stomach and sides to see what it really was.

Heero snorted with laughter at the last remark. "Sally would be fussing about limited gear and primitive conditions."

"Too true." Quatre giggled.

A sudden crashing in the bushes brought them all to alert status, even Wufei, who blinked open hazy black eyes to stare around, then struggled to sit upright. Quatre put a hand on his shoulder to hold him down even as his other hand pulled out a gun, aiming it toward the bit of jungle that seemed about to explode with a dozen attackers.

A moment later and their former companion burst into sight, panting hard, little bits of twigs and leaves stuck all over him. "Oh, hello again!" He greeted Duo and Heero, brushing at his arms. "I got lost on the way back, ha ha!" His eyes fell on the blanket and turned cold. "Chang." He said shortly, the sneer well on its way to finding its home again.

Wufei stared at him. "Osborne." His voice was thin, tired. "How'd they get _you_ out here?"

Quatre nearly giggled. He hadn't changed that much. Such a people person, their Wufei.

Osborne took offense. "Someone had to come out and finish _your_ mission. You hadn't contacted us in weeks."

"Told you... radio was malfunctioning. Anyway... mission complete..." He trailed off, glanced around until he saw all four of the others were there, and closed his eyes again, relaxing back onto the blanket.

Quatre got to his feet and went to help Trowa, who was packing away the medical supplies neatly. Duo and Heero took it upon themselves to settle on the edge of the blanket, between Wufei and Osborne. Trowa nudged his partner and jerked his head toward them.

Quatre peeked and gave him a tiny smile. "Knew it." He whispered, and Trowa nodded.

Osborne continued to glare at as much of Wufei as he could see. "I can't believe you really need him for a mission. What kind of expertise could _he_ possibly have? Major Hernbeck says he barely makes it through his missions alive. If he wasn't a pilot, he says they'd have let him go a long time ago. You know he's gay, right?"

That got a reaction. The four pilots gaped at him.

"How - how do you know that?" Duo managed to keep the agonized hope out of his voice by the barest margin.

Heero's hands clutched the blanket so hard his knuckles turned white.

"Or at least bisexual. That's what came out in his latest psych report." Osborne nodded his head as if agreeing to some statement.

"Oh?" Quatre spoke up, his voice cool. "Your psych shares test results with everyone?"

The other three kept their faces carefully bland as they waited for the response.

"No, of course not. But Major Hernbeck..." Four people were getting heartily sick of that name. "He thought we should know. In case Chang came onto someone who wasn't interested, so they wouldn't be afraid to report a Gundam pilot and he could take disciplinary action."

"And did he?" Heero's voice was supremely uninterested.

"No." Osborne sounded almost regretful. "At least, not yet. But he's gone a lot."

"On missions."

"No." Osborne disagreed with Duo. "The Major doesn't send him on many missions, since he doesn't follow orders properly. Tillman - that's the Major's PA, he says Chang uses his war status to take extra leave. Just a lazy bugger." He snorted with laughter, and Duo nearly gave up the charade. He started to his feet to punch the sniggering man's nose down his throat, and only Heero's quick, calming hand kept him in his place. Duo jerked around to glare at him, and he put a careful finger on his communicator. It was open and recording. Duo blinked, then stared over at Quatre and Trowa. They caught his look, followed his gaze to the little red light on the black box.

_Keep him talking. The more evidence, the better._

"So - the Major told you Chang is just a lazy homosexual?" Quatre said, not even looking at Osborne. "Funny, he didn't strike me that way during the war."

The other agent snorted. "He was probably just smart enough to hide it. No way would they have let a gay guy pilot a Gundam. That's a _man's_ job." He puffed his chest up importantly, as if he would have been the one chosen if Wufei had been found out. Duo very nearly lost it - the Doctors had known full well of his own inclinations, and they had never been an issue. He was nearly overcome with mirth at the thought of this pompous windbag finding out that every man in the clearing with him preferred other men. He'd probably have a heart attack.


	7. Betrayal

**CHAPTER 7** - Betrayal

Wufei fought his way back to consciousness through cotton-candy darkness. He felt slow, heavy - felt as though the blood in his veins was too thick for his heart to pump. He struggled weighty eyelids open to the gentle light of evening. He saw Osborne rolled up in a sleeping bag, snoring cheerfully, while his four friends sat close around a tiny fire, silently sharing rations. He let his eyes fall back to slits, preferring to just watch them without them being aware he was awake. He'd missed seeing them - wanted to get his fill this way before he actually had to converse and interact with them. He was sure it would be awkward after nine months, felt a bit of uncertain fear at the prospect of their demanding an explanation for his silence.

He didn't know how to explain Major Hernbeck's bullying. Had no excuse for why he'd allowed it to continue.

_Is 'I didn't care' a valid excuse?_

But maybe they didn't know. Maybe it really was a coincidence that they were here. Perhaps they'd been sent in, like Osborne, when the higher-ups thought he'd failed his mission. Well, if that was the case, they would be glad to go home. Hopefully they'd go quickly.

_Hopefully they'll stay forever._

No, that wasn't what he wanted! He didn't care much for his life here, but he faced the prospect of going back to fifth wheel status with a marked lack of enthusiasm. Maybe he'd just quit the Preventers, go and carve himself out a life somewhere else. Somewhere near the ocean, he rather liked the ocean...

Duo was suddenly hovering above him. "Hey, Wu-man. I can tell you're awake. Feel like eating?"

He shook his head, but apparently he wasn't really being given the choice. Gentle hands lifted his head and shoulders and leaned them against Heero's lap, while Duo offered him a spoonful of dark liquid. He felt like he ought to rage at them for treating him like such an infant, but the first attempt at lifting a hand failed utterly. His limbs had apparently turned to stone.

"C'mon, 'Fei, open up." Duo said softly, touching the edge of the spoon to his lips.

Wufei sighed and opened his mouth, rolling his eyes expressively at Duo's immediate grin.

"Hey, does this mean I can call you Wu-baby, too?"

"Maxwell." He managed to get a bit of warning into his thin voice before the second spoonful of broth was stuck in his mouth.

Duo only snickered at him. "I've almost missed that. No one else can get such meaning into my last name."

Wufei was too tired to roll his eyes again. It was taking all his energy to focus on swallowing the warm liquid Duo kept feeding him. His friend seemed to realize this, and shut up to concentrate on the task at hand. After the seventh or eighth spoonful Wufei felt sleep clawing at his eyelids again, and refused to open his mouth the next time the spoon tapped against it.

"C'mon, 'Fei, you've barely had any."

That low sentence brought a concerned Trowa and Quatre into view. The blond leaned forward and brushed a gentle hand across Wufei's forehead. "He's a little warm."

That brought Heero's hand up to check for himself, and he grunted in agreement. Trowa vanished from sight, only to return with a small thermometer. Wufei tightened his lips a little - he did _not _need all this pampering! - but it didn't matter. It was a battery-operated thermometer, and went in his ear. He felt stupid for a moment, and sorely wished he had the strength to turn his head away. He didn't understand why he suddenly felt so drained and empty. He'd had enough energy to function last night.

"Up a few degrees." Trowa said, short and to the point as always.

"When's the chopper due?" Duo demanded, reaching out to lay a hand on Wufei's cheek.

"Dawn."

"Can't it get here sooner?"

Quatre glanced at the still-snoring Osborne and lowered his voice. "We're only able to request from the Major. We can't request from Une without going through him. He claims there's no copters available until dawn." Quatre frowned as he said it - they'd all seen a half-dozen copters under tarps when they'd landed at the small airfield. Some looked like they'd been there for awhile.

Wufei had given up trying to follow their conversation. He was focusing on Osborne, and something about the man was bothering him. He couldn't... quite... something from the one mission he'd had with the other man... "Duo!"

His whisper was enough to freeze all four of the others.

"Yeah, 'Fei?" The braided boy leaned over to catch the faint voice.

"Osborne... he... he doesn't..." Wufei took a shaky breath, suddenly feeling faint, his head reeling.

"'Fei? Doesn't what? He doesn't what?" Duo's voice was a hiss in his ear.

"S...snore. He... doesn't..."

All four of their heads jerked back to stare at the other agent, only to find themselves carefully covered by a gun.

"Now, now. Don't look so startled, boys! You should have known Major Hernbeck wouldn't send such an absolute fool as me out into the jungle! Step away from Mr. Chang, there's some good lads."

They hesitated, and he waggled the gun at them.

"Now, now. Don't want poor little Chang to get a lovely bullet hole through an arm or leg, do you? C'mon, step away from him."

They obeyed, reluctant, and all four went stiff as he moved to kneel next to their comrade. He darted out a hand and used his thumb to push up an eyelid.

"My, my. I think he took more of that broth than I expected. Swallowed the whole cup down, did he?"

Duo glanced down at the tin cup he was still carrying, almost completely full of broth. 'Fei had barely made a dent in it. If Osborne thought he'd had it all - he deliberately let most of the liquid slosh out while the older agent was still looking down at Wufei.

"What's in it?" Quatre forced the words past stiff lips.

"Just a little sedative, mixed in with the beef bullion. Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?!" Quatre nearly wailed the words. "In his condition? Too much of a sedative could _kill_ him right now!"

"Aw, calm down, Blondie! It's just a mild one! We need to know exactly what he saw on this mission before anything... happens... to him." There was a dark threat in his tone, and the pilots stared at each other wildly.

"What do you mean?" Heero's voice was eternally calm and flat.

"Oh, not much. Just a little understanding between these mercs and certain of us Preventers. Nothing you need to concern your young heads about. Chang's head, however..." He patted Wufei's hair with a rough hand. "Well, Chang's head just depends on how well he cooperates."

"Wrote it all down." Wufei's voice was soft, dreamy. He was apparently on the edge of consciousness.

"What?! Wrote it _down?_ Where?"

When Wufei didn't answer the demanding voice, Osborne started to search him roughly. Wufei cringed when the hands patted down his ribs, and Heero snarled.

"Oh! I'm sorry, did that hurt?" The hands hovered over his ribs for a second, then clamped down hard.

Wufei arched back, struggling, lips pressed tight against a scream. His vision seemed to fold in on itself, and he fought back unconsciousness. He vaguely heard Duo yelling, sensed the hands leave to catch up the gun, and waited, his heart breaking, for a shot to ring out. It didn't happen.

He clawed his way ferociously back to awareness, slitting his eyes to see Osborne above him, one arm around his chest as he held Wufei against his side, the gun in his other hand pressed firmly against his temple.

"Yeah, yeah, try something else, and your little pretty boy gets it."

_Moron. Wait, pretty boy?_

"Let him go." Heero's voice - he couldn't focus his eyes enough to see more of his friends than blurs.

"Why should I? Think I want to lose my bargaining chip? Think I wanna have to explain why I didn't complete _my _mission?"

Osborne's arm tightened, putting pressure against Wufei's chest. He was already straining to breathe in the awkward position, this wasn't helping. His vision started to tunnel again, and he forced himself to stay awake.

"Why do you care so much what he saw? Every building in this sorry jungle is listed at Preventer's headquarters." Was that Quatre talking, or Duo? His ears were filled with an odd buzzing noise.

Osborne snorted. "We don't care what _buildings_ he saw. If his mission is complete he knows who the Boss Man is. Can't let him walk unless he agrees to cooperate."

"Sure. We're not idiots. Gundam pilots, remember? You can't afford to let him walk at all. So if you're just going to kill him anyway, why should we cooperate now? If you shoot him, that's better than taking him somewhere to be tortured."

_Gee, thanks, Duo..._

Wufei found a tiny bit of strength in the humor of his sarcasm, and it was more than enough. He twisted suddenly, dropping his head and jerking his body from Osborne's casual grasp. He'd apparently thought Wufei too far gone for any attempts of his own - despite the pressure he felt on his chest, Osborne was barely holding on to him. He hit the ground hard and rolled away, depending on his friends to take care of the gun while the agent was still surprised. He heard yells, scuffling feet, then a solid whap and a geyser of dirt fountained up next to his head. He yelped and rolled again, hitting undergrowth and scrambling for cover, sudden adrenaline getting him to his feet and running.

_Like a coward._

He switched neatly, rocketing back towards the camp in time to plow full into Osborne. The man stared at him like a retarded ox, and he snatched the gun from his hand and whacked the barrel against his head. Now he dropped like a felled ox, and Wufei was about to dash into the clearing, make sure none of his friends were shot, when he realized there were far too many voices there. He went straight up a tree, his climbing skills now at cat-like prowess, and gazed down at his friends, standing surrounded by mercs.

_Bad._


	8. Waterfalls

**CHAPTER 8** - Waterfalls

Duo sat next to Heero, a sulk on his face while his talented hands worked away. They'd tied all four pilots' hands behind their backs, leaving their feet free for when they'd walk them to the base, and sat them in a circle on the edge of camp.

_Idiots._ _A five year old could get away from them._

He'd had his hands free in seconds, Heero's next, and was working on Trowa's while Heero, who'd picked up his escape skills the quickest, worked on Quatre's. They would all be free in another minute.

_Then, gods, we've got to find 'Fei._

Osborne hadn't come back. Duo hoped 'Fei'd been alert enough to hide, but he had sick visions of Osborne straddling their friend's weak body, driving his fists gleefully into Wufei's fragile ribs.

_And if he brings him back here..._

Duo's eyes went back to the mercenaries who were ransacking the camp, stuffing things into their pockets. Both of the ones who'd discussed the 'pretty little Asian boy' were there, and he had no doubts they'd follow up on their fantasies if they had Wufei within their grasp. They had already given each of the four boys a careful lookover before turning to their search.

He had a feeling that 'Fei would appeal to them more. He and the three friends with him had grown in the year and half since the war ended. Off the growth restriction hormones designed to keep them small enough to fit in their Gundam cockpits, Trowa and Heero had shot up, both nearly six feet now, all long arms and legs. He and Quatre weren't far behind, but Wufei had only gained an inch and a half, still looked like a young boy and now, thin as he was, looked like a beautiful little waif. It was a fragility that would appeal to these big, rough men more than the gangly teenagers had - they would _enjoy_ hurting 'Fei more just because he looked weak.

_Right now he is weak. God, I won't let that happen to him!_

He slid the last loop off Trowa's wrists, felt Heero tap his hand in the signal that Quatre was free. They waited until every last merc was turned away, and faded together into the brush, lifting what supplies they could with them. Trowa, luckily, had been right next to the three medical boxes, and he took them all. Duo grabbed up some blankets and a large canteen, but didn't see what the others had. They followed Heero's lead away, and put five full minutes of distance behind them before they heard shouts from the camp. By then they were far enough away to break into a ragged run, only to stop short again when Wufei dropped down from nowhere in front of them.

He was wavering, one hand hard against his left side, but he didn't wait for help. "Follow me." He hissed, and vanished, wraithlike, into the undergrowth to their right.

They didn't hesitate, obeyed him instantly, following along after his fleeting form. He led them to a small stream, waded up it for several hundred yards until they were faced with a midget waterfall. Wufei didn't hesitate, either, just plunged through the chilly water and disappeared from sight. They stared after him for a moment, then Heero shrugged and plunged through himself. The others followed rapidly, and found themselves in a small, damp cave, just big enough to move around.

Wufei had huddled himself small against the far wall, sitting on his rump with knees tucked against his chest and arms tight around his ribs. The fractured and re-fractured rib was well and truly broken now. He didn't need anyone to tell him that. He could feel warmth, too, trickling from that scratch he'd acquired a week ago. Two weeks ago? Didn't matter. It wouldn't bleed for long. It stung a little, but it was the rib that had him in misery. It didn't help that he was cold again. He leaned his forehead against his knees, knowing he could trust his friends to keep watch for now, despising himself for his weakness but knowing too that he couldn't fight it.

He was nearly startled upright when a warm arm slid around his shoulders, and he felt a blanket being tucked around him and whoever was beside him - no, there were two people, one on either side. He raised bleary eyes to see Duo on his left, Heero on his right, both putting arms around him and cuddling close, careful of his ribs.

"Hey, 'Fei, how bad did ol' Osborne get you?"

Duo's voice was soft against his ear again, and he trembled before he could stop himself. He couldn't find the breath to reply - Heero's hands, uncharacteristically gentle, were sliding up under his shirt, searching out the damage left by the older agent's hands. Wufei pulled back from them, wary both of hurt and of the feelings those hands were setting up in his body, unwittingly giving the other boy full access to his battered torso. The bandages had loosened, drooping around his waist and he'd ripped them off long ago, so Heero found the rib immediately, touched it so softly it didn't hurt, felt the loose ends without making them grate together.

Wufei was very happy. That would have made him pass out.

He was discomfited when the hands kept searching, going over to his other side to delicately touch the bullet wound, pulling out to let eyes peer at the darkness on those fingers in the dim light still in the cave.

"Wufei. You're bleeding."

Those words brought Trowa and Quatre again. Brought the med kit and a flashlight Heero had caught up and now carefully shielded against hitting the curtaining water and giving away their position. He shone it on Wufei's ribs while Duo calmly held his arms and kept him from struggling, while Quatre and Trowa again cleaned the bullet wound and bandaged it. While they spread something cool and wonderful over his aching rib and wrapped it in firm, welcome pressure. Wufei was nearly under when someone pulled his wet shirt completely off and gasped at the bruises on his back, while hands searched there for more fractures or breaks and found none, when a dry shirt was eased onto him and he _was_ gone by the time arms came back around him, cuddling close to warm him and his head was on a firm, smooth shoulder. He never knew.

He was asleep.


	9. Resting

**CHAPTER 9** - Resting

He woke up at dawn, forced awake by the habit of the last month. He found himself held tight in four arms, and when he moved a hand was pressed gently over his mouth. He opened his eyes to see the others staring at the mouth of the cave, the gun he had taken from Osborne - wasn't that tucked in his waistband? - held firmly by Heero, who was better with it anyway and might as well keep it. There were two silhouettes against the waterfall, and he could hear the muffled sound of men laughing outside.

"No trace... anyone this way..."

"Might as well... break... never know."

"Water's fresh... swim... clothes."

"Too cold for... crazy."

"Be that way."

The shadows moved away, but none of them relaxed. It was too soon - the men could easily change their minds. Five long minutes passed, then ten. Finally Trowa moved, easing close to the entrance, Heero untangling himself from the blankets and following, leaving Wufei cold on one side. He moved closer to Duo without thinking, and completely missed the other boy's smile as he tucked the loose blanket back around his small friend.

Wufei had always hated being cold and Duo knew it, had taken blatant advantage of it on a few occasions to get closer to the Chinese boy than he ever could otherwise. Now he took more advantage of it than he ever had before, wrapping both arms around the lithe little form next to him, resting one hand on a slim muscular thigh, the other on a bony shoulder.

_Got to get some weight back on this guy._

Not that he really minded cuddling a thin Wufei. He wouldn't much mind cuddling a plump Wufei. The operative word was 'Wufei.'

Operative Word sighed a little, feeling really warm for the first time in weeks. He still wasn't quite sure what his friends were doing here, but at the moment he really didn't care. As long as he was warm, and with the people he cared about without any messy confrontations or those draining feelings of being alone and left out, he didn't care. The only thing that would make this moment better was if Heero came back.

Heero and Trowa risked ducking their heads quickly through the water, then Heero made the moment better, while Trowa probably made Quatre's moment better by cuddling back in their blankets with him.

"Seem to be gone." Heero really didn't need to say the words, but wanted to give Wufei any reassurance he could. He wrapped his arms around both of the smaller boys next to him and pulled them close.

_Perfect._

"Did anyone happen to grab any rations?" Quatre's voice was quiet and hopeful.

Lo and behold, Heero the hero had - he'd caught up a pack stuffed nearly full of the good stuff, dried meat and bread and small tubes of fruit and vegetable paste - the nearly gourmet rations that actually tasted somewhat like food. The others joked a little about it. Wufei had lived on half rations - the basic sawdust flavored stuff - for two weeks, then spent two and half more living on roots that tasted like water and fruit that was bitter instead of sweet - they might as well have handed ambrosia and nectar to him. He'd found his appetite, too, after two rests longer than any he'd had in months, and he nearly inhaled what was placed in his hands.

Quatre had been watching him with his 'mother' eyes, and he giggled. "That's good. No more, I think you'd be sick, but we'll feed you again in an hour or two."

Wufei flushed red at his lapse in control and nodded, sinking down in the blankets and wishing he could pull them over his head.

Duo grinned at him, and lay down next to him, pulling him firmly into his arms, ignoring the fact that he stiffened with surprise.

"Gotta keep you warm, too, 'Fei. You could get sick real easy right now."

"Yes." Heero's strong arms wrapped around them again, his body language announcing that he'd put up with no struggling nonsense.

Wufei surrendered.

He went back to sleep.

*

Duo waited until he was _sure_ his 'Fei was really, truly asleep, then turned to Quatre. "So, Mother Winner, you seem to know what you're talking about. What do we need to do, to get 'Fei back to normal?"

Quatre sat up from where he'd been cuddling in Trowa's arms. "Well - I just know what the people at home used to do when they found someone who'd been starving in the desert. And its not that much different - he is nearly starved." The others nodded, no argument. "Little meals, several times a day. About six, if I remember. Nothing spicy or heavily seasoned, so the rations actually are pretty much what we need, especially since they've got so many vitamins packaged in them. Lots of fluid and lots of rest. You're right about keeping him warm, and in a perfect world we'd keep him dry, too. Too bad about the waterfall. He needs mental rest just as badly, but we'll just have to do the best we can about that, since he's the one who knows how we get out of this jungle. But we need to save yelling at him about taking this crappy mission until we're out of here and he's doing a little better."

"Oh, all _right..."_ Duo deliberately whined, and was rewarded with laughter from the others. In truth, his anger at Wufei for risking his life over a stupid mission like this had vanished as soon as he'd gotten his arms around the smaller boy. If 'Fei hadn't been in such bad shape he'd have almost been glad he'd taken the dumb risks.

_This is going to work out, Chang Wufei. Heero and I are never going to let you go again._


	10. Leaving

**CHAPTER 10** - Leaving

Someone shook Wufei awake a few hours later, and put a ration bar in his hand. Memory of embarrassing himself still hot on his cheeks, he ate it slowly. He'd really have liked to just shove the whole thing down his throat. He was surprised to feel full when the small bar was done, and realized his stomach had shrunk since he'd been here. He would have dearly loved to go back to sleep, but he realized immediately that the others were packing to go, and he forced himself out of the blankets and onto his feet.

The others wouldn't let him do anything. Not fold a blanket, not pick up ration wrappers, not pack up the med kit. He scowled darkly at them.

"Save your strength." Heero's voice was calm behind him, a strong arm sliding around his shoulders and pulling him back into a brief hug that left him stunned, speechless. "We're going to need you to show us the way out of here - we have no maps, no compass."

Wufei nodded helplessly, and subsided.

_Heero - hugged me?_

Duo he would have understood. Quatre, too, possibly even Trowa. But unemotional, cold, reason-is-my-purpose Heero? Well, maybe not cold. He'd thawed enough for Duo, after all. Wufei almost felt that sharp jealousy again - but didn't. Hadn't he slept the night in both their arms? Fallen asleep for his little nap cuddled in their warm arms again?

He'd save his jealousy for later.

*

It was raining. Wufei realized this when the waterfall seemed to have grown to triple its usual size - surely he'd walked far enough to be out from under it? He looked back - yes, he was. The powers-that-be had decided the jungle deserved a real downpour, water so thick you could barely see ten feet ahead of you. At least it was warm. The others just exchanged looks, rolled their eyes and waited for Wufei to lead the way. So he did, striking out for the nearest town, wondering if he could make it when his legs still felt vaguely like rubber bands. He'd do his best. That was all he could promise himself.

After a few moments the motion of walking started to put strength back into his body. He'd rested, eaten what seemed like a feast, why shouldn't he be able to walk now? No more silly collapses - he knew, with red-cheeked embarrassment, that the others would be sure to make him rest several times.

_I don't need it. Still..._

Still, it warmed part of the coldness in his soul, knowing that they would show that much care for him. His head came up, he started watching the trail for signs of traps or mercs.

The others had been covertly watching _him_, and suddenly relaxed. Wufei wasn't as far gone as they'd thought. When he'd gone back to sleeping like the dead, they'd argued over whether or not he was strong enough to get out of here - all of them wanted to stay, let him rest, stuff food down his throat. On the other hand, they all wanted him out of here, safely away from the dangers in this place, hidden somewhere he could get medical treatment and give Une herself every detail he'd learned about these mercenaries.

Because this place was going down. The man behind it was going down. They wouldn't let Wufei sacrifice like this for nothing.


	11. Meanwhile

**CHAPTER 11** - Meanwhile...

Major Hernbeck was having a very bad day. The expected report from Osborne hadn't come - in fact, _no_ report from Osborne had come after he'd informed them the four pilots were there and had left to look for the fifth. Tillman was permanently stationed by the radio, bored out of his admittedly low-intelligence skull as he waited for reports that never came.

Now _she'd_ come. Commander Une, the person he would have been thrilled to see there under any other circumstances. But not now, not when this - _delicate_ - mission was going on. His attempts to impress her had so far left her as cold as when she'd arrived. The woman with her - some doctor? - and the other agents she brought seemed openly hostile. Perhaps they felt him a threat to their own positions? The thought buoyed his flagging ego.

He turned to her to try again, and found the cool eyes watching him with a sort of detached amusement. She'd insisted on using Chang's office, for some reason he could not understand, had spent some time going over his desk, paperwork and computer. She'd smiled at some things that seemed to him perfectly innocent, and ignored others equally innocent. She and the doctor had especially been amused by the very small stash of chocolate tucked away in the back of a lower desk drawer. He had not. He didn't allow his agents to eat in their offices - well, not this agent. He overlooked anyone else. Some instinct for caution had kept his mouth shut, and he was glad, later, when Une had stalked through the rest of the building on a brief inspection tour, and others had been having lunch or sharing sweets without hesitation.

The sky was darkening with evening, and he felt it time to speak up again. Most of his suggestions had been calmly waved away, surely this one would be welcome?

"Commander? It's getting late - would you care to have dinner? There are a few good restaurants in town - or we could have something delivered..."

She was already shaking her head. "My assistant has already taken care of that, Major." She had found a new file on the computer, and now her eyes didn't even bother to look at him. "Sally." Her voice was suddenly insistent, and the doctor turned from her perusal of the small filing cabinet to lean over the desk.

He wanted desperately to know what they were seeing, especially when their eyes narrowed and they exchanged knowing glances. If Chang was in trouble, he wanted in on it.

"Ma'am?" He stepped forward, daring to come around the edge of the desk.

By the time he could see the screen the file was closed, and Une was leaning back. She ignored him.

"Dryson."

A burly agent came to immediate attention. "Ma'am?"

"Bag the computer, take it to the shuttle and put it in lockdown. High security."

"Yes, ma'am."

Before the Major felt like he'd had time to blink, the computer was in a clear plastic bag and vanishing out the door. He felt a desperate need to follow, to coerce that computer into his possession, or to send some trusted agents to 'retrieve' it - by any means necessary.

Before he could move towards the door, the Commander called him back.

"Major."

"Yes, ma'am?" He tried to keep the edge of desperation out of his voice. He wanted to _know_ who that computer was going to get into hot water, Agent Chang... or himself? Was it something incriminating that they'd found? Couldn't be - he'd had all the passwords on Chang's computer disabled, did regular sweeps of it. There was nothing worth sweating over there. Anyway, Une was smiling at him for almost the first time.

"Still no word from my agents?"

"No, ma'am."

She leaned back and steepled her fingers, gazing at him with sudden intense interest.

"Nor from your agent?"

"No, ma'am."

"Why do you think that is, Major?"

He was saved from replying by his secretary, little mousy girl with big dark eyes currently full of surprise.

"C-Commander Une, ma'am... you have a 'phone call. He says its... very urgent."

"Name?"

"He... didn't give one. He said, '02'."

Une's face lit up. "Excellent. Transfer it in here."

"Yes, ma'am." She skittered out the door, and Hernbeck turned to follow her. He'd long since had Chang's phone tapped and was certain he'd want to listen in on this.

"Major." That voice was not to be denied.

"Ma'am?"

"I didn't give you permission to leave."

"Yes, ma'am, but I need to..."

"Stay." It was not a request.

He sat down.

Une picked up the phone, eyes suddenly alive with excitement.

"Une, here."

He could barely make out the voice on the other end, and no words came through to his straining ears.

"Excellent." .... "And condition?" .... "Yes, on standby." .... "Oh, really? Interesting..." .... "Not a problem. I'll have a mini shuttle there in half an hour." .... "Right." She reach the phone to the doctor, a strict warning in her eyes.

Sally took it with trepidation, and turned her back, her voice a low murmur.

"Sally." .... "List them, please." .... "No, that's good. Probably the best you can do, now." .... "I have equipment waiting." .... "All right. In half an hour." She reached the phone back to Une, shaking her head at an unspoken question, and Une dropped it in the cradle without speaking again. Her gaze settled on the unsettled Major, amusement back in the depths of her eyes.

He waited for her to speak, to say anything about that call.

She didn't. She scribbled something on a paper, called again for one of her agents, and handed it over. They vanished to do whatever she had bid them, and she leaned back in Chang's chair, stretched a little, and sighed.

"He has a habit of picking the absolute most uncomfortable chair in the entire building." She said cheerfully, and the doctor laughed.

Hernbeck frowned. "Ma'am?"

"Chang Wufei. The agent whose office we're invading? Always picks a straight chair. I think he considers slouching a weakness when he's working." Her tone was warm, affectionate. She had only spoken of Chang with her usual calm distance before, and now warning bells went off in his head.

"You... know him well, ma'am?"

"Of course. An honorable enemy, a wonderful ally. One of the five best Preventers I have."

Sudden chills went down the Major's spine.

"Oh... really?" His voice was weak.

"Really." She turned back to her perusal of Chang's small amount of paperwork with one final twinkle at him.


	12. Of Towns and Shuttleports

**CHAPTER 12** - Of Towns and Shuttleports

Five quiet figures sat waiting at the tiny shuttleport. The townspeople had told them three times that no shuttle was due for a week, but their spokesperson, a pretty blonde boy with big blue eyes, just shook his head and smiled. They'd given up, but kept watching curiously. The boys had come staggering up the road earlier that evening, gone straight to a hotel and took two rooms for about three hours. During the first hour the showers never turned off, and they appeared, one by one with damp hair and fresh clothes, on the little back balconies the rooms boasted, that jutted out over the river.

Visitors were rare here, and everyone in the tiny town was vastly interested in these five. They'd eavesdropped on their conversations as they'd called back and forth across the balconies - the blonde and the tall boy with hair hanging in his face had taken one room, while the boy with the beautiful chestnut braid and the boy with messy brown hair and piercing blue eyes had vanished into the other, dragging along a smaller boy who was muffled into a hooded sweatshirt.

He was the only one who hadn't appeared on a balcony.

Dora, who cleaned the rooms, had bent to peer pressure and gone to knock on their door, asking if they needed anything. The braided boy had answered, leaning casually against the doorframe as he asked about the possibility of ordering food. He'd blocked most of her view of the room, but she'd managed to get a glimpse of a young boy curled up on the bed, a ponytail like a spill of black ink laying across the pillow.

When Marty had delivered the burgers and fries he'd still been there. The other boy, with the stylishly messy hair and scary eyes, had taken the bags from him and given him a wordless warning glare. The boy with the braid had grinned cheerfully and rolled his eyes at the other, handing Marty some folded bills. The two from next door had been there, the taller one sprawled at the small table while the blond was sitting cross legged on the bed, watching the boy who was still sleeping, back to the door.

They'd had to wait through a few hours of silence before their curiosity over the last boy got a little ease. They'd come out, all five of them, the blonde asking where the shuttle port was, and the little black haired boy had turned out to be older than they'd thought, just small. Asian, with gorgeous tilted eyes and bronze skin, a face far too thin but with delicate bones like some exotic sculpture. All five of them were too attractive for their own good, even if the other four were caught at the gangly stage of their growth. The girls in town had been in flirt overdrive, and none too happy with being ignored.

The five boys had been zeroed in on one goal, reaching the shuttle port. Once there Donnie, in charge of the port that day, had smilingly explained that no shuttles were due. The blonde had smiled back, said they'd wait, and gone to sit with the others, ignoring the muttered comment, "you'll be waiting a good long while."

Quatre would have loved to have a camera when the mini shuttle touched down, just to have a picture of the look on Donnie's face.

*

The flight back to the city was unbearably silent. They had expected Wufei to fall asleep again - his sloe eyes still had a glaze of exhaustion. But their Dragon was tense, sitting as far from them as he could get, arms wrapped defensively around his ribs and his eyes fixed on the ceiling. All efforts at starting conversation were ignored, Duo's one attempt to sit closer to him was thwarted when Wufei got up for some water and sat back down somewhere else. Quatre had offered him a protein bar - it was a couple of hours since he'd eaten, surely he should be hungry? But Wufei had taken it, turned it over in his fingers a few times, and left it on a small table, his face distinctly green-tinged.

_What is going on?!_

Duo wanted to scream at him, to make him talk to them, but Heero and Quatre had both sent him warning glances. He sat slumped in his chair, sulking, his eyes watching 'Fei's reflection in the shuttle's round window. His face was slowly building up to its old arrogant mask - so Wufei was definitely hiding something from them.

_What?_

Wufei wanted to scream, break something, and beat his head against the shuttle wall until he was unconscious. Mainly the last - he didn't want to be on this flight, didn't want to go back to the city and face Hernbeck. He dreaded the return from missions the Major sent him on more than anything - the man would always be waiting, several large Agents in attendance, and drag him off to debriefing. Hours and hours of debriefing, no matter how tired or dirty or hurt he was. Hours upon hours of sarcasm and disparaging what Wufei had done, listing every millimeter of difference between actions and what the plan had called for, screaming at him for disobeying orders that would have gotten him killed. Forcing him to stay awake and write reports detailing every minute of the mission, when all he wanted to do was collapse in a heap and sleep forever.

This mission - gods, this mission would be the worst. A full month of doing exactly everything wrong, contrary to Hernbeck's little maneuverings, not reporting - _that _part would get him an hour, at least, of screeching anger, even if he had requested a new transmitter. That would be his fault, somehow - never mind that the thing was old and substandard to begin with. Wufei should have taken better care of his equipment. He could almost hear the words.

He wondered if having his friends here would make a difference? According to regulations, they should be there for the debriefing - but none of his partners had ever been to one of his debriefings, not from the first one where he'd given back as good as he got, through to the last, where he'd just sat quietly and let it all wash over him. He hoped his friends would object to being excluded. That was the one thin strand of hope he had, the only thing that was keeping him from howling. If the others were there, Hernbeck would _have_ to do things by the book. No screaming, no instant reports, no keeping him so late that the med clinic would be closed, along with all the stores and restaurants and any chance of buying food. No walk home in the cold evening because all the cabs were in for the night.

He sighed. A normal, quick debriefing before he got back to his own apartment and the bed that was at least a little familiar, although he knew exactly how many times he'd slept in it - thirty-four. Sad, really... so many missions, so many _long_ missions. Long, hard missions that left him drained physically and mentally - He came back to himself with a jerk.

They were landing.

Time to face the music.


	13. A Breif Debriefing

**CHAPTER 13** - A Brief Debriefing

Five minutes earlier Une had got to her feet as casually as if she was going to stroll down to the break room for coffee, gestured for Hernbeck to follow, and glided down the hall, down the lift, out the door to the landing strip. Sally had trailed along behind them, her bag firmly in her hand. All she wanted was to get Wufei and plunge him into a tub of disinfectant, then give him every shot he should have had a month ago, possibly doubled. She giggled a little at herself. She was definitely insane if she thought Chang Wufei would stand still for that.

Her eyes automatically assessed each of the five Preventers as they got out of the mini-shuttle, seeing no damage on four - Wufei was last out, and they closed ranks around him, but she saw enough. He was thin, far, _far_ too thin, but he didn't have the swollen look of starvation, and his face had some color to it. It could have been worse. He was tired, but he'd rested recently. She saw how stiffly he held himself, listing in her mind all the injuries Duo had cataloged, professional eyes searching for evidence of any he'd missed.

Wufei just concentrated on keeping his head up and his eyes emotionless. He was astonished at seeing Commander Une - why was she here? He'd heard nothing about an inspection tour. Sally, too - odd. Hernbeck right beside her - of course - the man's eyes hot and hard as they looked at him.

The Major didn't wait for anyone else to speak, even though he saw Une opening her mouth. He decided to take as much control of the situation as he could, and the first thing he intended to do was get Chang into the worst light possible. "Agent Chang!" His voice was almost a roar. "Where _exactly_ is Agent Osborne? Your orders were to meet with him, not return to base!"

Duo snickered. 

_Way to dig your own grave, man!_

Wufei's voice was an excellent imitation of Heero's flat tones. "I received no orders."

"They were sent by standard code two days ago."

"I had no radio to receive any orders."

"You were sent out with a perfectly good radio - perhaps you should learn to better care for your equipment? In any case..."

"In any case, I will handle this." Une's voice was low, but stopped Major Hernbeck as easily as if she'd screamed.

"Ma'am?"

"I will handle this. Wufei, please show us the way to the nearest debriefing room. Sally, you'll accompany us? Major, I will thank you to wait outside for me." She swept off majestically, walking beside of Wufei like he was a prince, not a tired, bedraggled boy in ragged pants and a borrowed sweatshirt.

Wufei could have done cartwheels. No debriefing with Hernbeck, at least not yet! He ought to be able to get a good night's sleep and some decent food before he had to face the man. He felt tension flow out of him like water. His friends noticed, and looked at each other solemnly. They liked the change, realized vaguely what caused it, and proceeded to spend their walk glaring at Hernbeck until he wanted to run for his life.

They left him outside the door to a tiny conference room, Une giving him one look that pinned him in place. The door shut firmly, and he heard a lock click. He looked around wildly, saw the hulking form of Agent Burks not far down the hall, and gestured to him frantically. Five minutes and several muttered instructions later, the man strode away and left Hernbeck feeling immeasurably better.

Inside the conference room Wufei felt much the same way. So far no one had commented on his current record of back to back missions, and he wondered if they even knew about them. There had been some rather gentle comments from Une about taking ridiculous missions no one could complete properly, and he just grinned at her. She had shaken her head and smiled back. Sally had been rather annoying, took his blood pressure, pulse, temperature, stuck a needle in his arm for a blood sample, stuck more in his other arm and murmured about vaccinations. He knew he had more to face from her in med bay after this debriefing was over, but it couldn't take forever. He was looking forward to the tiny, barren apartment for once.

Une used as few words as she needed to get as much information about the Mercenary group as possible - she was an old hand at interrogations, and it didn't take much skill to turn that talent around to the most rapid debriefings in the history of law enforcement. Wufei gave her the info freely, not in the clipped, grudging sentences he used for Hernbeck. He only skimmed lightly over his own struggle for survival, forming it into a much milder production than it had actually been. Une gave him a few sharp looks, but didn't argue.

Heero, Duo, Trowa and Quatre sat in silence, watching him so intently he felt uncomfortable. Une turned to them suddenly, after he finished repeating, verbatim, the meeting Boss Man had been at and had started sketching her a rapid picture of the man - after Sally handed him a small pair of gold-framed reading glasses. He stared at her, then them, sure they were locked up in his desk. She just smirked and turned away.

"Now you four." Une 'requested' his friends input.

Wufei glanced up from his drawing, watching them. They started in, listing in detail everything that had happened, and he was astonished to realize that their mission had been simply to find him, nothing more, nothing less. He flushed bright red when Duo repeated certain conversations he'd overhead among two mercenaries - he would never have thought they'd been talking about _him_ when he overheard them by the river - Une's sharp eyes came back to Wufei.

"Wufei?"

There was a lot of meaning in that single word, and he shook his head quickly.

"No."

"Good." Her eyes were still settled on him, then flashed suddenly to Sally, who was standing behind his chair. There was an order in them, and he turned quickly to catch Sally's response, but she was already turning away. He frowned, and looked back at his Commander. She was focused on the others again, so he bent back over his drawing, trying to look like he wasn't listening with every fibre of his being.

He got to be embarrassed again and again, although he managed to hide it better. First when they told her how Osborne had disparaged him - although they left out the bit about his claiming Wufei was gay - then when Duo told, in angry detail, how the man had hurt him, grinding his hands into 'Fei's ribs. Une's face went dark, and Sally took a step closer to Wufei's chair, her own hands itching to examine him fully. The embarrassment was milder when the other four praised him for getting away from Osborne, leading them to a hideout and then out of the jungle. That wasn't so bad - any agent should have been able to do that.

He allowed his full attention to settle back on the sketch when they started discussing the town and the shuttle port - he didn't see the quick glance Quatre shot at him. The blond had been waiting for Wufei's attention to wander, his intrinsic empathy letting him know at once when it was no longer focused on their words. He scribbled rapidly on a piece of paper, and passed it down the line of his friends, who each read it, realizing that was his intention, then Heero handed it to Une.

'Agent Osborne claimed the Major shared

the results of Wufei's last psychological

evaluation with the entire Post, including

what the psych felt was his sexual orientation.'

Une's eyebrows climbed up her forehead, and she looked sharply at Wufei. The Chinese boy was studying his nearly-finished sketch, tapping his eraser against his chin as he tried to decide if it was a good likeness. She looked back at the others, who were all caught between scowls and smiles, and realized what the 'sexual orientation' was supposed to be. She felt a moment's fury at Hernbeck over something so private being made public by a man who was supposed to make sure that if an Agent wanted to keep that information to themselves, their decision was protected. She had to let it go for a moment, however, in light of the fact that the grins had won on Duo and Heero's faces.

She knew what that meant. Spared one glance at an oblivious Wufei, and exchanged her own scowl for a wide smile. She had a feeling they wouldn't leave him oblivious for long - and knew her fifth Agent well enough to realize the depression she'd realized he was suffering from would soon be over. If he didn't make an idiot out of himself. Seeing as it _was_ Chang Wufei, that was entirely possible. She'd have to keep a sharp lookout. It was time someone made sure he wasn't _allowed_ to ruin his own life any more. If Yuy and Maxwell couldn't convince him, she'd have to have a stern talk with that young man.

Wufei decided the sketch was as good as he could make it, and looked up. And blinked. All of the others, Une included, were beaming at him.

"Did I miss something?"


	14. Healing

**CHAPTER 14** - Healing

About fifteen minutes later he was sitting in Med Bay, shirt gone, while Sally ran expert hands over his ribs and muttered to herself. She'd marched him right past Hernbeck, who looked like he wanted to add to Wufei's aches. Une had claimed his attention, and Sally wouldn't let the other Pilots follow her. She'd been more than able to ignore sulky looks, glares, and pouts, and dragged Wufei willingly away.

He was personally more than happy to let her. Embarrassing enough that his friends knew he was hurt, tired and weak - he didn't need them watching while this onna fussed over him.

"When's the last time you ate?"

"Quatre gave me a protein bar on the flight." Strict truth. No need to add that he hadn't eaten it.

"And before that?"

"Hamburgers and fries at the hotel."

She paused in her examination, holding a small, state of the art scanner over his rib. "Wufei, how many times did this rib get fractured?"

"I don't know." Strict truth again - he was fairly certain of his count, but no need to share that information. He could see the look on her face now.

"_Wufei_ - give me a rough estimate, then."

Damn.

"Five?" It was about half of what he thought. And he was right - there was that look. She made an unhappy noise and ran the scanner down his rib again. It tickled slightly, and he pulled back.

"Hold still. I'm trying to fix the damage. You'll be lucky if you don't need a pin."

He blinked at her, suddenly solemn. "That bad?"

She lay the scanner down and gazed at him, hands on hips. "Wufei, the edges of the rib are splintered. There is no way it would heal properly on its own. If I can't get it mended with this..." She gestured toward the small piece of equipment, "...then a pin it is, and no fussing. I'll use one of the new ones. You'll never know its there, and it won't attract refrigerator magnets."

He scowled at her, and she giggled before going back to work.

Five ticklish minutes later she lay the scanner down and picked up a different one. It was larger, and had some painful looking attachments. He frowned.

"Sorry. They're just too badly splintered. Be thankful we don't have to do surgery anymore to put pins in. Lay down." He obeyed rather sullenly, and she shook a finger at him. "Be good." She very gently put a needle against the blue skin on his side, and an instant later he was numb from his shoulder to his hip. She caught his arm before it slid off the table.

"Sorry. It'll wear off in a few hours. You'll be able to move your arm a little in about ten minutes."

He nodded, and resolutely stared at the ceiling while she hummed over his side.

After a moment she stood back and grinned at him. "There. Feel anything at all?" He shook his head, and she grinned again. "Wasn't so bad, then, was it? One state of the art pin. You'll have to take it easy for a week, then you'll barely know you had a broken rib." She dropped the menacing scanner and picked up another.

"Now what?" He demanded, noticing that it wasn't the little bone scanner from before.

She didn't reply, slid the scanner gently over the shallow bullet wound on his right side.

"Hmm... looks like Quatre and Trowa got most of the infection out. This will sting a little." She didn't give him time to react - the scanner hissed quickly along the graze, and the sharp sting dissipated.

He stared down at a cleaned, neatly stitched red line.

"Nice, huh? Good thing I brought all my little toys. That won't even scar, and the stitches will absorb in a few days. If I wasn't here they'd be using all this ancient stuff on you." She waved a hand at the x-ray equipment around them.

He had to smile - it was true. If she wasn't here, he'd be six weeks healing that rib, and have a nasty scar from the bullet.

Wait a minute.

"Why _are_ you here?"

She gave him a guilty look. "We were worried about you. Une found out about that stupid mission. Not to mention a few other things." She exchanged guilt for a glare, and he rapidly changed the subject.

"Oh. How's your daughter?"

"Fine. Waiting to meet her godfather. Don't change the subject on me like that. Why have you been letting that man treat you like this?"

Wufei shrugged carefully - he still couldn't feel his left side, although his arm was starting to obey his commands. "I do what my C.O. tells me."

"Wufei - oh, all right, I'll give you that. Why did you request to stay here, then? You could have gotten back to a _sensible_ C.O. months ago."

Wufei gaped at her.

"Request to stay _here?_ I _never_ requested to stay here!"

Sally responded by shoving papers under his nose.

He stared down at several perfectly straightforward, officially stamped requests for non-transfer with his signature on them.

Sally watched as his expression turned from puzzled to furious.

"Forgery, huh?"

Wufei didn't trust himself to speak. He just nodded.

She sighed and picked up one last scanner, sliding it gently in front of his bruised stomach and sides.

He felt warmth tingle through him, and was almost sure he could see the bruises fading.

"Roll over." Sally's voice was no-nonsense, and he obeyed.

She slid the scanner through the air above his back, then checked quickly to make sure he wasn't looking. His face was turned in the opposite direction, and she quietly changed the scanner settings and moved it to hover over his backside. A quickly hidden look of relief passed across her face. "Roll back." She ordered, and he did, moving cautiously with the numb arm and side. She managed to move the scanner over the front of his pelvis, as well, without him noticing. Another rapid look of relief. Sally tossed him one of the plain dark blue long sleeved t-shirts provided for Agents' use in the gym. "Get dressed. I'm going to go tell Une about those forgeries."

He pulled the shirt over his head and struggled to get his limp arm in the sleeve. She silently turned back and helped him. "Can I go home?"

"I guess. One of the others should go with you. In case you need help, until your arm wakes up."

"I won't need help. It's three blocks from here. I just want to sleep, Sally."

"All right. I'll tell Une where you are. Here." She tossed him a communicator, and he caught it deftly in his right hand. "That's linked directly to Une's, mine, and your buddies. Use it if you need _anything,_ Wufei. Promise me, or I'll keep you here overnight."

"Promise." He said grudgingly, and she grinned at him.

"Good. See you sometime tomorrow. Or the next day. Don't set your alarm, and don't come in until you feel fully rested. Get me? I doubt you'll be coming here, anyway. Hope you don't have a lot to pack - I think Une wants all five of you back on Earth ASAP."

"Fine with me." He got up and walked for the door.

"Wufei." Her voice arrested him in midstep. "I want you to take one of the others with you, anyway." He turned back, his fine black eyebrows drawn together. "Please? I just - suddenly got worried."

"I guess." He went out the door before she could press him harder, and started to head back for the conference room. He was heading for a corner turn in the hall when he saw something in the office window ahead that stopped him dead - the hulking reflection of Agent Burks, and the slightly smaller form of Agent Glasheld. They were standing just around the corner, he'd have to pass them to get back to the others. He pivoted neatly and headed back the other way, passing the door where Sally was packing her 'toys' away, her back to him. He did _not_ need a run-in with those two - Sally would have to get over the fact that he was going home by himself.


	15. Home

**CHAPTER 15** - Home

The ten-minute, three-block walk turned into a three-quarter hour half walk, half wait. He stopped at a small Chinese restaurant, where the elderly lady behind the counter beamed at him, then frowned and tripled his order. When he protested, she pointed out that they were closing, and the food would just go to waste. He had his suspicions, but let it go. He was hungry enough to eat it all, anyway. Any leftovers would make an easy breakfast - he knew there wasn't any actual food in his kitchen.

He was slowly climbing the stairs to his third-floor apartment when he met an angry whirlwind on its way down. "Maxwell?"

"'Fei!" The anger turned to delight, and two strong arms were thrown around him, nearly picking him up and carrying him up the last flight.

"What are you doing?!"

"Where have you been?" Duo didn't bother to answer his question. He set the smaller boy down outside his apartment door and waited while Wufei slid his key card through the lock. "I've been waiting _way_ too long for you. Everyone else is out looking for you, except Trowa. He's getting pizza. Which reminds me..." Duo pulled out his communicator and murmured into it.

Wufei ignored him, going straight to his kitchen and setting the bag of food on the counter. He stared over into his living room - the couch was folded out into a bed, and from the blankets spread neatly over it, had been slept on already.

"We stayed here the night before we went to find you. Didn't think you'd mind." Duo was chattering in his ear as he helped Wufei unpack the food. "Man, did you get enough?"

"The onna... lady that owns the restaurant says I remind her of her grandson."

Duo laughed. "Poor guy. So, gonna share?"

"You want Chinese instead of _pizza?_ Who are you and where's Duo Maxwell?"

"Aw, c'mon, 'Fei, I'm _hungry._" Duo whined, putting on his best imitation of puppy dog eyes. Wufei turned a laugh into a snort.

"Fine." He thrust a warm container of fried rice into one of Duo's hands, another of beef and broccoli into the other. He grabbed the tall container of egg drop soup for himself, and dropped into one of the two chairs at the table.

Duo eyed him suspiciously. "Just soup?"

"Shut up. I've been dreaming of egg drop soup."

Duo laughed, and sat down across from him. "Man, we've missed you, 'Fei. Why'd you come back alone after Sally asked you not to? She told us about the pin. How's your arm, can you use it now? Do you... mmmph!"

Wufei had demonstrated his control of his arm by clapping his hand over Duo's mouth.

"Take a deep breath. Arm is fine. Saw some people I didn't want to talk to, so I left. I never told Sally for sure I would ask anyone here, anyway."

"Uh huh." Duo dodged away from the hand, hoping he wasn't blushing. Even that casual touch of Wufei's skin against his lips set him on fire. He was glad he was sitting at a table. "Let's hear you tell Sally that. She wasn't happy." He snickered when Wufei groaned. "Your own fault. You should know better."

Wufei scowled at him. It was a mild scowl, as his scowls went. He was too happy to be here, with warm soup inside him, away from Major Hernbeck with one of the people he... with one of his best friends across the table. Could life get better?

It could.

Heero suddenly shoved the door open, stalking into the room and glaring at Wufei, then Duo. As soon as he saw no injuries on either, he plopped down on the table beside Duo and stole his fried rice.

"Hey!"

"Hn." Heero ignored him, watching Wufei sip at his soup while he devoured the rice. He spent a moment admiring the way the dark lashes feathered across bronze cheekbones before turning to Duo, a silent question in his eyes. Wide purple eyes studied him in return before the chestnut head shook. 

_Wait until Quatre and Trowa won't be bursting in on us._

Heero could almost hear him saying it, and sighed. He'd prefer to just come out with it - the suspense was killing him. He was absolutely shocked that Duo hadn't already cracked.

Duo's silent advise turned out to be wise - two minutes later Trowa stalked in carrying three pizza boxes, followed closely by Quatre with several bags of groceries.

"Hello, guys. We got some stuff for breakfast, Wufei. Une said to tell you to pack up tomorrow. She wants us all back on Earth by Friday."

That was three days away. Wufei narrowed his eyes at him.

"Why?"

"I didn't ask." Wufei wasn't the only one to use strict truth and still evade a question. Quatre knew perfectly well why Une wanted them back.

"Is the furniture yours?" Trowa asked quietly, setting down the pizza boxes and opening the top one.

"No. It goes with the apartment." Wufei eyed the fully loaded pizza and was more that happy to turn back to his soup. He was feeling full, which surprised him. He'd been ravenous. He set the half-empty container aside and opened a carton of sweet and sour chicken. After a few bites of it, he put both containers in the 'fridge and turned to his friends. "You didn't all sleep on the couch bed?"

"No." Heero chose to reply. "Duo and I slept in your room. We have sleeping bags for tonight, though."

Wufei frowned. "There's a cot in the back room. I'll use that. No need for sleeping bags when there's a bed." Truthfully, he didn't think he _could_ sleep in that bed now... he wondered if the pillows had caught the scent of their hair, and forced that thought firmly from his head.

Heero glared at him for a moment, then stalked down the hall, a slice of pizza in his hand.

Wufei watched him go, bemused, then turned puzzled onyx eyes on Duo, who shrugged and turned his attention back to the pizza.

Another moment, and Heero came back down the hall, pizza gone, rolling the folding cot into the bedroom. Wufei followed him, and watched while he unfolded it and tested it with one hand. "Seems comfortable."

"It is. I replaced the mattress." Wufei grinned suddenly. "Believe me, it would be heaven even if I hadn't."

Heero was forced to smile in return, and Wufei had to fight to keep breathing.

_Stop smiling like that! Are you trying to kill me?_

_And why - oh WHY did you bring the cot in here? I won't sleep at all if you two are in the bed right across from me!_

"Sally said to keep an eye on you tonight, since she had to give you so many different shots." Duo spoke from behind him, answering his unspoken question. He had some sheets and blankets in his arms, and Wufei wondered where he'd found them. He only had a few extras, and he'd already seen them on the couch bed. He didn't ask, only got some night clothes and headed for the bathroom, ignoring the fact that Duo was making up the cot. He didn't feel like complaining over their care right now. They'd be gone soon enough, anyway, why ruin the moment?

He brushed his hair thoroughly, then went against his usual sleeping habits and put it back into a ponytail. He didn't feel like leaving it down - it made him look vulnerable. He felt desperate need to stay as strong possible tonight. He noticed his hands trembling slightly and scowled, clenching them into fists. "Get a grip on yourself, Chang." He whispered, and reached for his toothbrush. It wasn't until he was changing that he realized habit had made him take no more than his usual pajama bottoms.

Wide-legged, dark red with a simple drawstring.

_Oh, well._

He pulled them on, not knowing how gorgeous they made his bronze skin look. He wondered if he should put on the t shirt again, but decided against it. 

_Can't let them being in my bedroom make me change my habits - I'll stay stronger for being normal._

With that thought he reach up, pulled out the hair tie, and shook his black silk hair down loose against his shoulders. 

_There. Ready for a normal night's sleep. I'm surprised I remember what that's like._

He had expected Duo and Heero to be back in the living room, devouring pizza. Instead they were sitting cross legged on the bedroom floor, an open pizza box between them, dressed similarly in cloth shorts, Duo in a tank top and Heero bare chested. Wufei stared at them, trying to memorize them quickly. It took him a moment to realize they were staring back. "What?"

Duo swallowed hard and answered. "N-never seen your hair d-down, 'Fei."

"Oh." Wufei headed for the cot and sat on it, folding his legs and preparing for a few moments of meditation before he slept. He was going to need all the self control he could get.

Duo and Heero could have used some meditation. Heero was ready to jump the small boy right then, and Duo was only a heartbeat behind him. He kept a hand on Heero's arm by pure strength of will. They'd often wondered aloud what Wufei looked like with his hair down, but they now knew they'd never even come close. It was like a waterfall of jet black satin, flowing smoothly over his shoulders, hanging past his collarbones in the front. It softened the harsh angles of Wufei's face, making him look softer, gentle. Vulnerable, like he'd thought a moment ago, but it strongly appealed to the two boys on his floor. It made them feel closer to the real Wufei.

They'd never seen him _completely_ shirtless before, either, and the jutting bones of his shoulders and ribs didn't take away from his attractiveness. The drawstring pants rode low on narrow hips, showing the tiny dent of his bellybutton, the bruises almost healed after Sally's ministrations. The tattoo glowed against his bronzed skin now, done in gorgeous shades of blue and green. Not a snake - it had feet, gnarled, clawed feet. A dragon. They should have known. It was the tail that circled the small bellybutton, then the body snaked around his right side. When he'd had his back to them walking to the cot, they'd seen that it circled his back, the bottom half almost hidden by the red pants, and sensually hugged his left hip, its head completely under the waistband, hidden somewhere on his front.

They'd never wanted to see a dragon's face so much in their lives.

Duo suddenly grinned an evil grin, and Heero arched an eyebrow at him. He winked, and turned his attention back to the cot. "Hey, 'Fei?"

"Yes, Maxwell?" Wufei didn't open his eyes.

"When'd you get the tattoo?"

"It's traditional. I've had it for years."

"Can we see the rest?"

Heero's face suddenly matched Duo's wicked grin.

Wufei cracked open one sable eye and peered at them suspiciously.

"C'mon, 'Fei. It looks cool."

Wufei sighed, opened both eyes, and slid to his feet. The other two were on theirs so fast he blinked, and his eyebrows drew together.

_They are up to something..._

"Well?" Duo didn't have the capacity for patience anymore.

Wufei heaved another sigh, and hooked his thumb under the waistband on his left side, sliding the thin material down far enough to show them the snarling Dragon etched on the delicate skin just above the soft dent where his torso met his thigh.

Heero swallowed so hard he almost choked - Duo nearly grew wolf ears. He put out a bold hand and traced the Dragon's eye ridge, delighted when Wufei's skin quivered a little under his fingertips.

"Nice. Traditional, huh?"

"Uh... y-yes. I - can get a s-shoulder tattoo when I t-turn twenty."

"Another dragon?" Duo kept his voice casual, even though his fingers were exploring the dragon's teeth now, sliding dangerously lower.

"Y-yes. Maxwell..." Wufei was horrified to hear himself sounding breathless.

Heero grinned, and reached out.

Wufei was relieved for a second - he thought he was going to pull Duo's hand away. Instead, his blunter fingers slid around the curve of the dragon's jaw, then back along the long neck that cuddled against Wufei's hip.

"Um..."

"Wufei." The sudden serious tone of Duo's voice jerked Wufei's eyes to his, especially since his fingers were still stroking skin incredibly close to the most intimate area of Wufei's body - one he was trying hard to ignore. He gulped, opened his mouth to answer.

Then the doorbell rang.


	16. Visitors

**CHAPTER 16** - Visitors

Duo said some words Wufei had _never _heard him use before - and that was saying a lot. Heero snarled and pulled his hand back. Wufei swallowed his heart back down into his chest, tugged his loose pants up until the waistband rested across his bellybutton and tightened the drawstring ruthlessly. He snatched up a tank top off his dresser and tossed it on, stalking down the hall to where Quatre was opening the door.

_Get a grip on yourself!_

They didn't really think about it, but all five of them expected to see Une or Sally at the door. It was a good thing Heero was paranoid enough to grab his gun, then, when Burks strongarmed Quatre aside and stomped into the little apartment. Glasheld and another man he didn't recognize were hard on his heels, and all three headed straight for Wufei. They stopped short when Heero, gun held casually in his hand, stepped in front of him, blue eyes ice cold with his death glare.

They nearly wilted.

"Burks? What are you doing here?" Wufei's voice was calm. He wouldn't have been too worried if he'd been home alone - Burks and Glasheld were more brawn than brains. If they wanted to start something... well, he was tired enough to want to avoid it, but not so tired he wouldn't finish it.

He didn't have to. Trowa, after assuring himself that Quatre was all right, had retrieved his own gun and moved to flank Heero.

Burks was smart enough to know when he was out-maneuvered. "Hernbeck wants you back at HQ."

"I already had a debriefing."

Burks shifted nervously, eyeing the two teenagers with guns, watching while Duo walked in and leaned casually against the kitchen counter, his whole body loose and ready. There was a faint trace of Shinigami in his eyes - enough to start Burks sweating. "He... uh, has some other questions for you."

"Can't it wait until morning?" Quatre's voice was mild as he moved to Heero's other side.

"Uh..."

"And surely a phone call would have sufficed? Why did he need to send _three_ Agents?"

"Umm..."

Quatre was relentless. "Commander Une gave a direct order that Agent Chang was to be sent home to rest. Does Hernbeck know he's countermanding the C.O.'s orders? Does Une know anything about this?"

Burks was definitely sweating now, his eyes going desperate. The two large agents behind him didn't look much happier - they started easing back towards the door. Burks' overwhelmed brain finally selected an out. "Uh... guess the Major don't know about those orders. I - I'll report that back to him." His pride gave a last desperate scramble - his next words were cool, imperious. Directed straight at Wufei again. "You better stay near a phone, Chang. He ain't gonna be happy you ain't comin' in."

Wufei scowled hard, and Quatre opened his mouth for another barrage.

Heero spoke.

One word.

"Out."

And away they went, as dignified as they could manage, each secretly wondering why one tall teenager had that effect on them.

The door closed behind them.

Wufei swore. Very fluently, in Mandarin, so the others had no idea what he was saying, only his tone of voice giving away the fact that he was cursing.

Duo grinned.

'Fei reached for the phone, snapped the ringer off and turned on his heel. "Let him call. I'm going to bed." He strode away, and the bedroom door banged shut.

Quatre went straight to the phone, turning the ringer back on and setting the volume to low. Trowa dug through a bag and handed him a small black recording device. He hooked it into the handset and nodded to himself. "There. I'm sure Une has made the Major completely aware of her orders. If he calls, it'll be just one more nail in his coffin."

"She's supposed to let him have it tonight."

"He probably sent them after Wufei before she got him in the conference room. Either that or he has a serious death wish." Quatre suddenly whirled away from the phone to stare at Heero and Duo. "What are you two planning?"

"What do you mean?" Duo tried for innocence.

"You know exactly what I mean. What are your intentions towards Wufei?"

Duo snickered. "You sound like the father in a Victorian melodrama."

Quatre wasn't buying it. His stare became a glare, and Trowa added his own to it, standing tall and solid behind his shorter lover.

Duo and Heero exchanged glances, and both faces turned solemn. "We aren't playing with him, Quat. We just..." Duo trailed off.

"Want him." Heero finished.

"For how long?" Quatre asked sharply. "Because Wufei's not as strong as he thinks he is, and he doesn't need..."

"Forever." Heero cut him off.

Quatre gazed at him for a long moment, then turned sapphire blue eyes on Duo. The braided boy nodded softly, his eyes hungry and vulnerable. Quatre smiled, and Trowa echoed him. "Good. Guess we should all go to bed now, then. Tonight's probably not a good night for getting very physical, Duo."

"I _know_ that. We don't want to _hurt_ him!"

"And guys - you don't know for sure. I mean, about what Osborne said - the psych could have been wrong, or they could have just been trying to give Wufei a hard time."

"We know." Heero's voice was calm. "But we will try."

"Have to." Duo echoed his lover's short speech patterns.

Trowa's smile became gentle, and he finished off the short debate.

"Good luck."


	17. Conference Room

**CHAPTER 17** - Conference Room

Major Hernbeck entered the conference room with Une feeling fairly certain of himself. As far as he could tell, he had all his ducks in a row - as his mother used to say. All his files were perfect, Chang's were hidden, all the proper papers had been filled out and if that little _brat_ complained they were forgeries, well - it was his word against Hernbeck's, and what possible reason could Hernbeck have for keeping the boy here?

His face was calm and a little smug as he took his seat. Then he glanced at Une, and the smugness disappeared. She was smiling at him, but there was nothing sweet or reassuring about it. That smile was predatory - he felt like a rabbit looking at a wolf.

"Major. Care to explain this?" She slid a paper across the table to him and he gazed down at it.

It took him a moment to realize what he was looking at. He turned a little pale. It was Chang Wufei's mission list. All the back to back missions, all the undercover missions, all the little dull routine missions were listed in chronological order - neatly revealing what he'd always kept hidden, that he was working Agent Chang to death. He scrambled for an excuse.

"I - we're very understaffed here... I have to use my agents to their full potential."

"None of your other agents have a mission log like this."

Damn, she shot that one down.

"None of my other agents have the experience Agent Chang has. I've been _forced_ to use him over and over on these intense missions."

Ha!

"That's what the Agent Request Department is for, Major." Une's smile was becoming deadly.

Oh, shit. He'd forgotten about that - he should have gone through that department to request a temporary agent for the unusual missions instead of putting Chang on every one of them. "Um, yes, but some of these missions required immediate attention..."

"Some of them, yes. Not _all_ of them."

Hernbeck shifted his eyes away from her laserbeam glare, trying to think of another excuse.

Une pushed the mission log aside and picked up a folder. She took two sets of papers out and passed him one. He took it with visible relief, but if he thought she was being merciful he was dead wrong. He shuffled through the pages and Une saw his face begin to turn green.

She smirked.

"Aren't these mission reports interesting?" Her voice was almost a coo. "Odd, isn't it, how the ones _Wufei_ filled out never showed up in the database? It's so convenient to have all the reasons your orders were disobeyed tucked away in some dusty filing cabinet in a basement storage room, isn't it?"

"Ma'am, really, no matter what he's been saying..."

"I have yet to speak to Agent Chang about this." Her cold voice cut him off. "In light of the fact that you seem to be *blind*, Major, that agent was exhausted and in pain. Sally!" Her call brought in the other woman, the doctor.

"Yes, Une?"

"Do you have your report?" She was handed a few thin pieces of paper and flipped through them rapidly until she came to one particular page.

He was able to lean forward just enough to see that it was the results of a scan used for possible rape victims. All the boxes were marked negative.

Une heaved a sigh of relief and turned back to the first page, reading through the report thoroughly. "Where is Wufei?"

"I sent him home to rest. I told him to take one of the others with him and he said he would. Well, actually he said 'I guess.' But for some reason he didn't. I don't know if he decided not to bother them or what, but they were all still in the waiting room five minutes after he was gone."

Hernbeck was smiling a little as he listened to this exchange, thinking about Agent Burks and the orders that he'd given him. At least this problem would be nipped in the bud. No witness, no case, right? He just had to make it through this silly meeting - what was that woman saying?

"So I told them what was going on and they all headed for Wufei's apartment. Duo said he'd call if there was any problem."

"Excellent." Une replied.

'Shit, shit, *shit!*' Hernbeck thought.

"Now, Major," Une's friendly voice was relentless, "let's discuss sending agents 'highly recommended for medical leave' on extremely dangerous, poorly planned missions, shall we?"

It was beginning to dawn on Hernbeck just how much trouble he was in.

*

Half an hour later he stumbled out of the conference room, eyes shocked and wild. He'd been removed from command, stripped of his rank, was under threat of intense investigation into the actions of Agent Osborne and his remarks about 'certain Preventers' having understandings with the Mercenaries. That couldn't happen - he might get in serious trouble from the actions taken on Agent Chang's case, probably to the point of being kicked completely _out_ of the Preventers - but if they found out just how deeply he was involved with those Mercs he'd go to _jail_.

"I will not go to prison because of that little pipsqueak." he muttered. He reeled down the hall into his office. There was someone waiting for him - Agent Burks got to his feet and stared and another shadowy figure stepped into the light.

Osborne.

He looked awful. He was dirty and his clothes were a mess. There was an ugly lump on his forehead surrounded by a dark spreading bruise.

Hernbeck looked him up and down and curled his lip. "Useless." He snarled, and turned on Burks. "Tell me some good news."

"Sorry, sir. There were other agents there..."

"Kids! All of them. You're telling me you can't handle a bunch of _children_?"

Burks flushed and looked away, unable to explain how threatened those 'children' had made him feel.

Hernbeck had kept the fact that the agents were the rest of the famous Gundam pilots from the man. He strode over to his desk, hiding his desperation at Commander Une's punishments and sat down, leveling another glare at the two men. He had to stay in control of these two. He needed them to do one thing, one simple little thing that would make all of his problems go away.

"Take care of Chang Wufei."


	18. We Should Be Sleeping

**A/N:** Sorry this chapter took a bit longer; it's the first I've posted here with a lemon. Please let me know if you guys think it is too specific for this site and I will either tone it down or link the lemon-y bits out.

Thanks, again, for all the fabulous reviews!

**CHAPTER 18** - We Should Be Sleeping...

Heero eased the door open carefully. The small bedroom was dimly lit by a streetlight two floors below. They could see Wufei curled up on his right side, blankets pulled up past his chin, his hair an inky puddle on the white pillowcase. He was very obviously asleep.

Heero turned to Duo. "Should we wake him?"

"Sally said wake him every two hours, to make sure he's okay. She shouldn't have given him so many damn shots, if they're gonna cause so much trouble. How's he supposed to rest like that? We can talk to him when we wake him up, if he's not too out of it."

Heero didn't like it. He knew he had to accept it, but he did not like it. It was absolutely amazing to him that impatient, impulsive Duo was willing to wait like a good little boy. He turned on him. "What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You aren't acting like yourself. Why are you so patient?"

"I'm not." Duo paused, considering, then dropped his mask. "I - I'm scared, 'Ro. What if he says 'no'? What then?" He sat down on the bed and scooted over, and Heero climbed in after him.

"If he says no, he says no. We're still keeping him with us, and we'll try again. As many times as it takes."

Duo couldn't help but snicker again. "I really am getting these mental pictures of Wufei in handcuffs and leg irons."

"Tied to a bed?" Heero's voice was a low purr in his ear, and Duo shivered.

"'Ro!" He whispered back, his voice sharp. "Don't give me ideas like _that._ At least, not when there's nothing I can do about it!"

"Nothing?" Heero's voice was entirely innocent, but the hand sliding up Duo's leg was not.

"'Ro, not now! We'll wake 'Fei up."

"Good." And Heero dove in for a kiss, his hand gently stroking the inside of Duo's thigh. The other boy tried hard to swallow a moan, and it leaked out as the tiniest of sighs. Heero smiled against his lips, and his hand crept higher. The sigh was louder that time.

*

Wufei wasn't entirely sure what had woken him - he wasn't even quite sure of where he was.

_My room... I think._

But it was backwards - no, he was on the folding cot, instead of his bed. His eyes and his memory suddenly told him why. Then his eyes added a little more information, and grew so wide it almost hurt.

_Are they doing what I think they're doing?_

They were.

In definite danger of a nosebleed, Wufei tried to turn away from the bed. A bolt of agony shot through his left side, and he winced, settling on his back instead, and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

_IwillnotlookIwillnotlookIwillnotlook..._

He looked.

And his wide velvet eyes met a set of amused blue-violet orbs, watching his face with an intensity he didn't understand. He scowled half-heartedly, and pulled the pillow over his head, clutching fistfuls of softness. There were a few more quiet moans and sighs from the bed - _that_ was what had woken him! - and then silence. Then the cot creaked loudly as weight settled on it, and strong hands grasped his wrists, pulling them and the pillow away from his face. He peered up through the twilight darkness, not sure whether to be angry or ashamed. He expected to see Duo grinning down at him, but met instead the Prussian blue eyes of Heero Yuy.

_Oh, gods... he's going to kill me. It's not my fault I saw - why was he doing _that _when I was sleeping right over here!?_

The hand that settled on his face was surprisingly gentle, and the words that came out of the Perfect Soldier's perfect mouth were so different from what he expected that he wasn't sure they were even speaking the same language anymore.

"How do you feel?"

"W-what?"

"Wufei - how do you feel? Sally told us to check on you every two hours."

His brain scrambled rapidly, trying to sort out the fact that Heero wasn't murdering him, was calmly asking if he was suffering any medical reactions while he sat - naked! - on the edge of Wufei's bed. It kept scrambling, not finding any purchase at all, when an equally nude Duo Maxwell came creeping up the other side of the cot and stretched out full length next to him, lifting a lazy hand to stroke Wufei's forehead.

"You don't have a fever. Sally wanted us to watch out for that the most." He grinned down at Wufei, who was just gaping at him in return, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on Duo's face. "'Fei, you look kinda stunned." He let his hand trail down the delicately boned cheek and jaw, to settle on the wildly throbbing pulse at the hollow of Wufei's throat. "Feel kinda stunned, too." The wandering hand pushed the blanket down until it could flatten, palm down and fingers spread, over his thundering heart. "'Fei - calm down. We're not going to hurt you, for gods sake!"

Heero shifted, stretched out on Wufei's other side and pressed close to the slender boy, wrapping a strong arm around him. "Never hurt you." He murmured, tucking his face tight against Wufei's neck and closing his eyes.

Wufei felt the flutter of his lashes against his skin, felt the gentle puff of his breath.

Duo leaned very close, eyes like the evening sky staring hard into pools of midnight darkness.

"He's out for at least twenty minutes. Are you seeing anybody?" Those velvet black pools blinked up at him in confusion.

_Gods, he's just so cute when he's confused..._

"Well?" He was rewarded with a single shake of the head, and he beamed. "Good. So..." His hand trailed slowly up to Wufei's shoulder. "You wanna... I mean, we want you to..."

"Join us." The statement was muffled against Wufei's throat.

"W-what?!"

Duo leaned his forehead against Wufei's, forcing the smaller boy to look him in the eye. "We want you, 'Fei. Wanted you for a long time, now. Do you... _will _you join us?"

Wufei's head was spinning. He felt a sudden desire to pinch himself, sure he was lying on the jungle floor, hallucinating with malaria.

_Ouch._

Okay, not dreaming. "W-why..." He wanted to ask exactly why they wanted him - who on any given colony would want _him?_ - but he couldn't get the words out. It was probably just a physical thing...

"Love you, 'Fei." Duo whispered, turning so his cheek rested against the other boy's. "Both of us do. Want you with us forever."

"Love you." Heero's voice was sleepy, his arm tightened gently around Wufei's waist. "Love you, no more stupid missions... not without us..."

Duo snickered, slid a hand down silky hair and tugged 'Fei's head over until it was tucked beneath his chin. "Damn straight. We're keeping you with us whether you... um... join us or not. Got an extra room, so just get used to it. I know we kinda sprung this on you, so we'll give you time to think about it. But we're not kidding, 'Fei, we really do love you, want you. Have for a long time, since during the war. We just weren't brave enough to admit it to each other, let alone _you._" He settled into silence, one hand still on Wufei's hair, the other snaking around to lay across him, resting on Heero's steadily rising and falling ribs.

Wufei lay silent while Duo's breath evened out, too. He just stared blankly at the ceiling, too stunned to even think properly. He felt the weight of two strong arms holding him, felt the gentle stir of two people's breath against his skin... _gods_ what was happening?! Chang Wufei _never_ got what he wanted! Never _ever _had everything he'd ever dared dream of offered to him out of the blue! This had to be some kind of joke, some kind of dream.

Didn't it?

*

He didn't know how long he lay there, staring at the plain white ceiling, but he suddenly registered the fact that Heero's hand had drifted to his hip. That his thumb had started making slow, careful circles on the jutting edge of his hipbone. His breath squeaked in his throat, and Duo snickered.

"Told ya he'd be out for twenty minutes." The voice was smug, the hand on Heero's ribs leaving to drift up Wufei's arm, fingertips slowly, carefully memorizing every inch of skin on the way. It almost distracted Wufei from the fact that Heero's fingers had left his hipbone and were sliding along his waistband, drifting closer and closer to the knotted drawstring. He pulled in a sharp breath and grabbed for that wandering hand.

Heero chuckled softly, his mouth against Wufei's collarbone. "Relax. Not going to do anything you won't like." His tone was soothing but his words weren't - Wufei was getting way too many mental pictures.

Duo's fingers had gone sliding up his neck and were now trying to memorize his face. "S'true, 'Fei. We won't take it too far - just let us love you a little. We missed you."

"Mmm." Heero agreed, catching one of Wufei's hands in his and lacing their fingers together.

Duo reached down and caught his other hand, leaving the Chinese boy defenseless.

Heero leaned closer and pressed soft lips against his temple, slid them down his cheekbone to the corner of his mouth, then raised his head. He put his nose against Wufei's, gazing down into those bottomless black eyes. Wufei almost had to cross them to look back.

"Is this all right, Wufei? Before we go any further, is this all right?" The hand exploring his shoulder stopped, and he could see Duo gazing solemnly at him in his peripheral vision. Heero rubbed his nose slightly, drawing his attention back to him. "Not going too far, remember? You're not in any shape for it."

"Physically or mentally. We know we kinda stunned you." Duo added, drifting closer.

"Right. Just let us touch?" Heero shifted until his long, lean body was pressed against Wufei's, only a sheet and the pajama bottoms between them.

Duo grinned and copied him on the other side.

"I..." Wufei's brain was going in little circles, looking desperately for reasons why he shouldn't do this. He knew there _were_ reasons, good ones, but he couldn't think of them right now. The hard, warm evidence of arousal that pressed into each of his thighs wasn't helping. A hand - whose hand he didn't know because he was _not_ going to look down - traced the path of the dragon's tail that circled his bellybutton, stroking the soft skin. He gasped and squirmed and could nearly hear the other boys grin.

"I think it's all right." Duo told Heero, his breath warm against Wufei's shoulder. Half a second later and he felt lips there, tracing the curve of his shoulder and wandering, warm and soft, down to his collarbone. He felt the hint of a tongue licking his skin and Duo's voice again, murmuring, "So pretty..."

_Pretty?!_

Wufei opened his mouth to protest and couldn't - not with Heero's mouth pressing him down for a deep, searching kiss.

He was so surprised that Heero was easily able to slide his tongue past his lips, exploring the moist heat he found, sliding over the slick enamel of teeth and stroking against Wufei's tongue gently, encouraging it to play. The response he got was uncertain, hesitant, and sent a bolt of heat straight to his groin. He growled and pressed their lips together almost hard enough to bruise. Something warm and soft nuzzled against his cheek and another warm tongue traced his ear.

"Share." Duo's voice was rough with need and he grudgingly lifted his mouth, sliding his lips down Wufei's jaw to the sweet skin on his neck. He found a spot that made the lithe body next to him tremble and set to work on it, licking and sucking at the skin, determined to mark this boy.

Wufei barely had time for a breath before another set of lips was on his, softer and less demanding, the tongue in his mouth now more playful.

Duo got to sample the tentative caress 'Fei gave back and he moaned softly in appreciation. After a moment his lungs screamed for air and he lifted his head. Gazing down at the sight beneath him he moaned again.

Heero's face was flushed, dark brown hair sticking to his skin with sweat. His eyes were closed tight as he concentrated on the small patch of skin beneath his mouth. Duo could see the mark he was making as he moved his lips, a bit of the bronze skin turning dark red, wet and shining. He'd gotten plenty of those marks himself, he knew how good they felt. Wufei lay with his head back, neck arched and exposed, his black eyes wide open and cloudy with need.

Duo had never seen anything so erotic in his life.

He smoothed a hand down Heero's back while his eyes searched Wufei, getting a soft growl of pleasure from his first lover. Amethyst eyes settled on the beautifully muscled bronze chest of his second, and an instant later he had his mouth around a small caramel nipple, teasing it with teeth and tongue. He got a sharply drawn breath for his trouble and Heero's head came up, trying to see what was going on.

An absolutely _evil_ smile crossed his face and he went for the other little nub, pressing his tongue against it and letting his mouth sink down.

Wufei gasped. His back arched. He gasped again.

The first gasp was pure pleasure...

...the second one was pain.

The two boys loving him sat up abruptly, staring down at the exotic face gone suddenly pale.

"Aw, shit, 'Fei... sorry." Duo ran an apologetic hand across Wufei's stomach until it rested just under the dark red mark on his rib, where Sally had put in the pin.

"Yes." Was Heero's apology. He got up and scooped Wufei into his arms, sheet and all, and carried him over to the bigger bed.

Duo scrambled after them, and they lay down carefully, one on either side again. "Better here. More room, y'know. We... we should sleep now." Duo was disappointed, a little, but that didn't matter. He'd promised not to hurt 'Fei and look! They'd gotten carried away so easily...

"No." Wufei's voice was soft, almost shy. They stared down... at the real Wufei. They'd thought they wouldn't see _him_ for weeks. "No, it... it was good. It was my fault - I shouldn't have... I don't want you to..." He turned bright red and whispered the last words. "I don't want you to stop."

Heero and Duo exchanged wide smiles.

"So's that a 'yes', 'Fei?" Duo was hovering over his mouth again.

"Umm..." Wufei's mind still wasn't entirely sure this was a good idea, but his _body_ wanted them to keep going.

"I think it's a maybe." Heero said, his voice low and amused.

"I can work with maybe." Duo's body wanted to keep going, too. He leaned down and nuzzled his nose against Wufei's jaw. "It wasn't your fault, either. None of us were thinking, that's all. Back to nice soft touches, huh?" His hands demonstrated, stroking the outside of Wufei's thighs while his lips descended for another searching kiss.

Wufei's body gave his brain a glass of warm milk and put it to bed.

Heero's hands were wandering over Wufei's flat stomach while he watched them kiss. It was all pale skin against bronze, golden-brown hair mixing with jet black, flushed cheeks, soft lips and softer sighs and enough to nearly make him come by sight alone. Both the boys he loved - life was going to be so good.

His fingers found the drawstring of those dark red pajamas and started working on it while Wufei was distracted. He'd already tossed the sheet to the bottom of the bed. Clever digits soon had the knot puzzled out - he checked to see that the kiss was still going strong and slid a sly hand inside.

Warm skin, and soft. The delicate skin he remembered from before, when he'd explored along the dragon's back... then his questing hand found hair - surprisingly soft little curls, and he stroked them for a moment - then.... ah. Yes. Skin like hot silk, and throbbing as he curled his fingers around proof that Wufei was just as aroused as they were. He got a strangled sound for his trouble and smirked at the two boys - who were staring at him now instead of kissing. Duo was leering at where his hand disappeared into those pajamas with blazing hunger in his eyes. Wufei just looked - surprised.

Heero snickered.

Duo slid down and eyed him. "Gonna share?" He demanded, which got another startled noise from Wufei.

"Maybe. These'll have to come off." He stroked the smooth pants and gently tightened his other hand, making Wufei wriggle.

Duo had one hand firmly on his shoulder, to keep him from arching again. He turned his head back to the smaller boy and fixed a stern look on his face.

"Don't hurt yourself."

Wufei managed a scowl. "I'm not _delicate_, Maxwell." He didn't quite manage to get the usual scorn into Duo's last name.

The braided boy grinned at him and tightened his grip on 'Fei's shoulder. "Yes, you are. Just humor us, 'kay? You can kill us later. Right now..." He stroked the shoulder gently, then let go and slid his fingers under the waistband of the pants.

"Lift your hips." Heero whispered to Wufei, his voice husky.

Wufei flushed, but obeyed.

Duo slipped the pants down the narrow hips and lean legs and then tossed them away. He and Heero sat still for a moment, gazing down at the beautiful body they'd uncovered. Wufei's flush increased until he was almost the color of the discarded pants. He automatically started to use his hands to cover himself from... very *predatory*... stares. One pale hand and one light golden one shot out and grasped his again.

"No, no." Duo chided, moving back up until he was drifting over Wufei again. "Bad 'Fei-'Fei. Shouldn't try to cover something so pretty." He swooped down and swallowed the protest 'Fei would have made, pulling him back into a deep kiss.

Heero shifted until his cheek was resting against a smooth-skinned, bony hip, watching as he stroked his prize.

"Beautiful." He agreed softly, and felt Duo's free hand stroking his hair. He smiled and turned his attention back to their new lover. 'How to do this...' He knew if he went much further Wufei wouldn't be able to hold still. That would hurt the healing rib, which was not an option. He sat up suddenly, poking Duo.

"What?!" The braided head lifted and blue-violet eyes gazed at him accusingly, a pout on red, swollen lips.

"Move." He ordered calmly, and waited while he was reluctantly obeyed. He reached for Wufei, slid an arm under his shoulders and lifted him to a sitting position. Both smaller boys stared while he moved around behind them, back against the headboard, and pulled Wufei back between his legs. "There. Easier." Duo was grinning again.

"Smart Hee-chan! Deserves a treat." He dove in and pressed his mouth to Heero's, who returned the kiss enthusiastically. Duo had one hand on Heero's shoulder, the other on Wufei's hip as he moved to kneel between bronze legs.

Heero had one hand tangled in chestnut hair, holding Duo into the kiss. The other slim golden hand was back between Wufei's legs, stroking the warm arousal and moving down to cup his balls.

'Fei was gripping Heero's thigh and Duo's forearm like he was holding on for dear life.

Duo lifted his mouth from Heero's, licking the other boy's lips as he went, and moved on study Wufei. Hazy dark eyes studied him back, almost solemn. He smiled and traced his hands over the noble forehead, down an exquisite nose, ran his thumbs along high flat cheekbones and down until he had one hand on either side of 'Fei's slender neck. "Smile?" he asked softly and was hesitantly obeyed. He leaned back in for yet another kiss, his right hand sliding down the toned torso to lace his fingers with Heero's exploring hand.

Heero wrapped the fingers of his free hand around Wufei's chin and turned his face to the side for another of his searing kisses, pulling him away from Duo. The other boy giggled faintly instead of pouting, waiting until Heero lifted his lips to take a breath and stole 'Fei back. They continued to pass him back and forth between them, occasionally giving him a breathing break while they kissed each other. The entire time their hands were stroking him, moving in unison, mouths swallowing every whimper and moan he made until Wufei's dark head was thrown back on Heero's sturdy shoulder and they brought him to a gentle climax.

He lay gasping, eyes wide with amazement and watched while Duo and Heero licked each other's fingers clean of pearly white come. The sight almost made his exhausted body interested again, and they realized it.

"Sleep now, 'Fei." Duo said softly, reaching up to stroke his hair. "Much as we'd like more, you need rest. Sally will _kill_ us if you don't."

"What about you?" Wufei wasn't sure how he managed the words - he wanted to keep going and yet he could feel sleep clawing at the back of his eyes - but he could see Duo was still aroused and Heero was poking against his back.

Duo grinned even broader. "We'll take care of each other. Don't worry about _that_. You'd better rest while you can - when you're better, we won't be letting you have much sleep." He turned to retrieve the sheet and left Wufei gazing at Heero. He blinked when he saw the tall boy was now licking his own fingers. Amused blue eyes gazed back at him.

"You taste sweet."

_Oh, gods... and they expect me to _sleep_?_


	19. Morning

**CHAPTER 19** - Morning

Trowa followed his usual habit of waking just after dawn. It took him a single second to realize he was in Wufei's apartment, that Quatre was indeed the familiar warm lump beside him. He eased his arm from underneath the blond boy and sat up, tucking the blankets carefully back around Quatre's shoulders. He sat on the side of the bed for a moment, then wandered into the kitchen and washed his hands. He started the coffeepot and made himself some buttered toast, knowing from experience that the others wouldn't be awake yet. During the war Wufei would have been the next up, just a few minutes after Trowa, but he knew that exhaustion and all the shots Sally had given him would combine to keep him out cold. And if Duo and Heero had their way... well, he would _really_ be tired, then, wouldn't he?

He couldn't help but snicker.

*

Quatre woke up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and nearly floated into the kitchen in search of the source of that alluring scent. Trowa calmly handed him a cup, fixed just the way he liked it. He took it with a sigh and sat down on Trowa's lap, leaving the other chair for whoever got up next. His lover put down the newspaper he'd been reading and wrapped both arms around him, holding him close. They sat in comfortable silence for a long moment.

"How do you think it went?" Quatre's voice was almost a whisper.

Trowa didn't have to ask what he was talking about. "Wufei likes them, but he's stubborn."

"That's very true. I suppose we'll just have to see what happens." He sighed and turned big blue puppy eyes up at Trowa. "Will you make me some breakfast?"

"When are you going to learn to cook?"

"The day after I throw you out - so, never."

Trowa couldn't argue with that.

He made Quatre breakfast.

*

Duo and Heero were grinning. They grinned while they made breakfast, and Heero grinned at his scrambled eggs while Duo beamed down at his cereal. They grinned at each other while they washed their dishes and grinned at Quatre while he folded up the couch bed. When Trowa announced he was going out for a bit they smiled at him. While it was perfectly normal to see a grin plastered on Duo's face, Heero was a different story.

So the other two figured last night went really well.

Trowa was only gone for about half an hour. When he came back he had five sturdy canvas duffel bags with him. At Quatre's questioning look he explained.

"If the furniture isn't Wufei's, then we can pack the rest of his things in these."

"Good idea." Duo said.

"Yes, much easier than cardboard boxes." Quatre congratulated his lover, giving him a brief kiss and taking one bag. He reach it to Duo. "Here you go, stealth operative. You can pack up his clothes without waking him up." The last check on Wufei had showed them a soundly sleeping lump, wrapped in blankets.

Duo, his grin still firmly in place, took the bag and vanished silently down the hall. The others went around taking down the few pictures and packing away the blankets. Heero took care of the few dishes in the kitchen, leaving some for Wufei to use when he woke up. Trowa and Quatre packed away the single shelf of books carefully, knowing how their comrade treasured those. It surprised them how few he had, and Quatre resolved to ask him about it later.

Duo tucked away the neatly folded clothes in Wufei's dresser, leaving out a warm long sleeved tee and a pair of loose silk traditional pants similar to the ones Wufei used to wear when he was a pilot, save that they were black instead of white. He packed away all the towels and such from the bathroom, leaving one set for when his lover awoke. Before he left the room he ghosted a kiss across Wufei's lips. The small boy hummed contentedly without waking up, and Duo's grin became so broad it was nearly painful.

When he reached the small kitchen/living room - the two spaces were only separated by the counter - he found Trowa and Heero packing away a stack of movie disks while Quatre stared out the kitchen window. He quirked an eyebrow at the boy but didn't say anything. He just went to help with the movies, taking the time to scan the titles. He and Heero found another reason to grin when they saw that Wufei had several old karate-style movies that they had never seen. They loved those.

Pretty soon everything in the small apartment that they _knew_ was Wufei's had been packed away, and some things they weren't sure about lay ready to be packed if 'Fei said they were his. Having done all they could do for now, the three tallest boys settled on the couch to watch one of the old movies.

Quatre was restless. He couldn't explain why and the others didn't press him. They knew him too well. When he figured it out, he would tell him. Trowa looked at him for a long moment, letting him know he was there if he needed him. Quatre replied with a nod and Trowa turned back to the movie. The blond boy wandered aimlessly from the window to the couch, to check on Wufei, to the window, to search for anything else that he could pack and back to the window. He didn't know what he was expecting to see out in the view of the seedy neighborhood but he felt a driving urge to keep a check on it.

It was nearly noon when they finally heard some stirring in the bedroom, then the sound of a shower. Heero and Duo suddenly found it hard to pay attention to the second movie they were watching, and Trowa and Quatre snickered openly.

They didn't care. They were just waiting for the shower to end, for the bedroom door to open. They needed to know how Wufei was feeling after the events of last night. They were so tense that the phone's sudden brazen ring made them jump. Quatre giggled at them before he answered it.

"Hello." ... "Yes, last night." ... "No, he never called." ... "No one came back, and we haven't seen anyone this morning." ... "He just woke up. He's taking a shower." ... "All right. We just have a little more to take care of, and he needs to eat." ... "Yes, ma'am. As soon as possible." ... "Goodbye."

He turned to the others, blue eyes worried again. "Something's up. Une had a visitor this morning."

*

The man stood in the shadows of the alley, staring at the small window in the dirty gray wall. He knew that was the right apartment, he'd seen the blond kid looking out. Where was his partner? He wasn't supposed to be doing this _alone!_

Not that he couldn't handle it.

No, he reassured himself, he could handle this just fine. Those kids would never know what hit them. Finished and gone before they even realized he was there, and then off to his reward. He began to fantasize about just what his demands would be...

*

Wufei was a little confused about the lack of towels in his bathroom, and a little more confused about the lack of clothes in his bedroom. Only his black pants and a dark grey shirt were lying across the cot, a pair of his shoes on the floor beneath. He got dressed quickly and scraped his hair back into a neat ponytail. He spared one glance into the mirror and was relieved to see that the rather high collar of the shirt hid the reddish-purple mark on his neck. He didn't need Quatre and Trowa to see _that_.

He had a feeling he was in for enough teasing as it was.

He was still a little overwhelmed by what had happened last night, half his mind trying to tell him it was a dream while the other half tried to insist it was just a fluke - and while his traitorous heart tried to do somersaults of joy.

When he came into the living room he was rather surprised to find only Quatre waiting. The other boy was standing staring out the window.

"Why do you live in a neighborhood like this?"

The question was so low he barely heard it. He didn't have to ask what he meant. He'd stared at that view enough - dirty streets and alleys full of trash, the dregs of society wandering up and down the sidewalk.

"The rent is cheap." He replied, opening the fridge and taking out the sweet and sour chicken he'd put in there last night. He liked it cold, and only retrieved a pair of chopsticks from the drainboard, walking over to stand beside his friend.

"Why are you worried about the rent?" Blue eyes raked over him, noting with approval that the shadows under his eyes were fading and the lines of exhaustion on his face were gone. "We packed away most of your stuff, it certainly didn't look like you were spending wildly on possessions?"

Wufei took a bite of chicken and chewed it slowly before he answered. He was about to get into trouble again. "Disciplinary pay cuts."

Quatre's eyes went impossibly wider. He sputtered for a moment. "Disciplin... Wufei! You mean that man was cutting your pay so low you had to rent an apartment _here_ and you still didn't tell anyone?!"

Wufei shrugged. "He was still the C.O. Besides, I never really had time to talk to anyone, when it started getting... difficult."

Quatre sighed. "'Difficult' is an understatement. There was nothing in your file about pay cuts. Do you have any records?"

For answer Wufei turned to the small desk in the living room, the only piece of furniture the others hadn't gone through. They weren't sure Wufei would want them going through personal papers. He took out a manila folder from a bottom drawer and handed it to Quatre.

The blond shuffled through neatly organized memos from Hernbeck informing 'Agent Chang' of pay cuts and the reasons for them, and the pay check stubs that verified the memos weren't forgeries. "Can I keep this? Une will want to see it."

Wufei shrugged, setting his food down as he began to stack the other neat folders on the desktop. "As long as I get it back." He continued to sort through his papers, throwing most of them away and keeping only the essentials, not paying attention to Quatre.

The other pilot was sorting through the file and his normally cheerful blue eyes were angry. That jerk had cut Wufei down to _peanuts_ while upping his missions - and there was no sign of the bonuses he should have been getting for the extra missions. He'd certainly bring this to Une's attention - he knew she'd see to it that Wufei got a nice fat compensation check.

"Where are the others?" Wufei broke into his thoughts.

"They took the three full bags we packed to the shuttle. We didn't want to be weighed down with all five on the way back." At Wufei's questioning look he continued. "Do you know an Agent Burks?"

"He was the biggest guy, last night."

"Oh. Well, he told Une some things this morning - we just want to be careful, that's all." He sat the file on the kitchen counter and wandered back over to the window.

"What things?" Wufei was right behind him, but his question didn't get answered. Quatre was staring into the alley across the street.

"Wufei! Quick, look! Is that who I think it is?"


	20. Stalking

**CHAPTER 20** - Stalking

He'd been lurking outside the damn apartment forever - that's what it seemed like. The alleyway reeked and it was seriously getting to him - he wondered if it was possible to rip your own sinuses out? Thoughts of the pain were fast becoming more appealing than the stench.

He stiffened when he saw some familiar teenagers come out the front door, duffel bags slung over their shoulders. From the intense, alert looks on their faces he almost expected them to attack him, but they just looked around and headed off up the street, not seeing him where he crouched behind a dumpster.

'_Three of five_,' he thought, wondering where the other two were, especially his target. He fingered one of the knives in his picket as the thought about Chang - damn brat - got him in trouble - got the Major in trouble - lying - whining - complaining...

He watched the other three Agents stalking away down the street, radiating the attitudes of 'don't mess with me, you can't handle it.' They might as well be wearing t-shirts with the words printed on them. He stroked the knife again, wishing his orders included taking care of these three. He didn't like the way they walked, so confident and assured. It made him want to hurt them, tear them down and leave them broken. He watched them, hating them, until long after they were out of sight.

When he brought his eyes back to the window he jumped, seeing two faces gazing down at him. He moved quickly back into the shadows, not sure if they had seen him or not. They didn't come rushing out to confront him, so he was surely safe. He stayed in the darkness and stench until the other three came back.

He still wanted to kill them.

They weren't in the building ten minutes before his target came out the front door and he went on full alert, a knife sliding sweetly into his hand. Chang stood there casually, leaning against the stoop, hands in his pockets and just watching the people go by.

Just as he was wondering if he should move forward and complete his mission, the door opened again and the braided boy came bounding out.

"Hey, 'Fei!" He called cheerfully, slinging an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Wanna go out and get some pizza?"

He could hear Chang replying, but his voice was too low for him to make out the words.

"Aw, 'Fei, that was _last_ night! Nothing wrong with pizza every day!" He went bouncing on down the steps, dragging the smaller boy with him. "C'mon, 'Fei, where's the pizza place?"

The man waiting went tense, ready - that braided idiot was dragging his target across the street, straight to him!

*

Quatre was lurking just inside the door, watching his friends and the shadowy figure beyond them.

"Oh, gods, _please_ don't let this be a bad idea..."

*

The man in the alley had his knife ready, set back in his palm, his arm in position to throw it and send it singing through the air - to embed itself in Chang's slender throat. He spared a moment to relish his excellent aim since he was going for such a pitifully small target, then his arm swooped forward...

...and was caught mid-throw, the knife jerked from his grasp.

"Such a bad idea..." The low growl just behind him made him shake inside but he pasted a ferocious scowl on his face and turned, trying to twist his arm free and go for another knife. He froze when he saw who was holding onto him.

The pilot with the messy brown hair - and the blue eyes like twin death lasers.

He was in trouble.

Another of the pilots stood with him, the one with auburn hair hanging in his face. He gazed solemnly at the once-again struggling man, his one visible emerald eye cool. He didn't say anything, but the would-be assassin would have preferred it if he did. That gaze was almost as deadly as the other guy's.

"Well, well."

The voice behind him was oddly cheerful - he tried to turn back around and Blue Eyes caught both of his arms, preventing the movement. He turned his head, and wished he hadn't. The blond boy had his hand on Chang's shoulder, keeping him from coming closer while he talked in a low voice. They weren't what worried him. The braided boy he'd quickly decided was a moron was gliding closer, his movements sleek and beautiful, the look in his eyes enough to turn his knees to water.

"Well, well..." He drawled the words out again. "If it isn't our friend Agent Osborne."

The only thought Osborne could get to go through his head was about his missing partner. Where in the _hell_ was Agent Burks?!


	21. Agent Burks Has Issues

**CHAPTER 21** - Agent Burks Has - Issues...

Agent Burks was having issues. Very serious issues. Major issues.

'_Hehe..._' he chuckled to himself, momentarily distracted by his own pun. '_Major issues... hehe... Major Hernbeck issues.._.' He kept snickering as he went down the hall, even though snickering was the last thing he really wanted to do.

'_Never thought I'd come to this_.'

He was used to being muscle to take care of enemies. Used to going on missions where his brawn was much more important than his brains. It never bothered him - he was proud of his strength and happily left the boring planning stuff to others. When Major Hernbeck had started asking him to 'influence' other Agents who were causing problems in the small Preventers' unit he'd been flattered. It had gotten so that he didn't even question the orders, just leaned on who he was told to lean on. Sometimes he'd been uncomfortable with how _hard_ he was told to lean, but he'd done as he was ordered, anyway.

But it had never gone this far.

He'd never been told to kill an Agent. Oh, pardon him, 'take care' of an Agent. Like he was too stupid to know what that meant. Osborne had already left, early that morning. It had barely been dawn out. Burks was supposed to go with him, but told him he'd catch up later. He'd wanted a little time alone, to think. Osborne had shrugged and left. He'd had no issues with their orders.

Then again, he had a personal grudge against Chang. That was a lovely bump the kid had left on his thick skull. Thinking about it made Burks snicker yet again. Who'd have thought little Chang had it in him? The Major had always led them to believe the tiny Agent was a pansy pushover.

Osborne sure must have been surprised.

Burks snickered again, and grinned. This wasn't supposed to be funny - he was about to ruin his career and the careers of a few other Agents, and he couldn't stop laughing.

He couldn't kill anyone, either. Not someone he was certain had done nothing to deserve it. He'd heard Osborne telling the Major about how Chang had pistol-whipped him, and read between the self-serving lines of his story to get close to the truth. He was a big strong guy, sure, but he wasn't an idiot.

He reached Chang's office and took a deep breath. Commander Une had insisted on setting up her temporary headquarters here instead of the spacious room Hernbeck had prepared for her. That alone should have told the Major something was up. Moron. Burks helplessly sniggered again and knocked on the door.

*

Thirty minutes later he sat twisting his hands against the arms of the chair while Une spoke rapidly to one of the pilots on her phone. Pilots! Hernbeck had sent him and his boys up against the freaking _Gundam_ pilots and acted like they were just kids! Damn the man, he could have gotten them all killed!

Burks was feeling much better about his 'betrayal.'

And from the way Une had spoken, she was so pleased about it - and the fact that it would help save Chang Wufei's life - that he had a feeling his punishment wouldn't be as severe as he'd thought.

Doing the right thing had rewards, after all.


	22. Confrontation

**CHAPTER 22** - Confrontation

Quatre had the devil's own time dragging Wufei away from that alley. They'd agreed that it would be best for him not to be involved in the actual _arrest_ of his unknown assassin, and he'd sort of agreed. That was before they really knew it was Osborne - Wufei hadn't got to the window in time to tell Quatre for sure if that was who he had seen. Now that he knew for a fact that it was Osborne, he was reluctant to leave them alone.

Not that he was worried about the traitorous Agent. Oh, no. He was worried about Heero and Duo, worried that his - friends? lovers? Quatre wasn't 100% sure which it was, yet - but Wufei was worried that they would take things too far, and get into trouble for it. That was what he sensed from the emotions rolling off the Chinese boy. He was only getting short "Let me help them - Winner, let go of me!" sentences.

He was glad Wufei was still a little weak after his long mission - he was pretty sure he wouldn't have been able to drag him away. It didn't help when sounds of violence erupted in the alley.

*

Heero had surprised Osborne by abruptly letting go of him - as soon as Wufei was out of sight. He wasn't planning on letting his new love get hurt again, ever - but especially not the day after the three of them had finally gotten together. Osborne staggered away from him, his dark eyes murderous. Heero had only gazed at him and moved back. Neither he nor Trowa needed to hear the words to know what Duo wanted.

Shinigami wanted this man all to himself.

The braided pilot circled Osborne like a panther stalking prey. His warm violet eyes had turned a cool shade of light blue, murder in their depths. He was remembering this man grinding harsh hands against Wufei's ribs, remembering the way his 'Fei had struggled to get away, pain writ heavily on his face. Remembering how those ribs had looked before, blue and swollen, and how they'd looked afterwards - purple and angry, swelling so much more pronounced. Remembering the way 'Fei's lips had been pressed tight together, to hold back a scream while the man hurt him.

Hurt their Wufei...

"Never hurt what's mine."

The words were a deadly hiss and Osborne shuddered even as he pulled out another knife. To his surprise, the other two pilots did not move to help their partner. He tried a sneer.

"Yours? What's yours? Oh, you mean little Chang? You're one of those, too?" He tried to keep his tone disgusted, not fearful. He couldn't keep his eyes from widening when the boy's face turned feral.

"You hurt him. You wanted to kill him."

Osborne let out a squeak and threw the knife. Duo dodged it easily and it thunked against the wall behind him, burying deep. Osborne dug out another and held it warningly.

"You keep away from me. I'll cut you open." The face in front of him was smiling like a death sentence now, and he just wanted to run. The other pilots were blocking his way. He couldn't run - gods, he couldn't _run_, what was he going to do? He took a deep breath. He was going to kill this kid, that's what he was going to do. He'd had excellent training - it had to be as good as theirs. They were just pilots because they were small enough to fit in those Gundam cockpits, that was all. He aimed more carefully and threw the knife.

Duo caught it.

Osborne stopped and just stared, unable to react to that. He couldn't react at _all_, not even when Duo lunged at him. He expected to feel the cool bite of the knife. Instead a rock-hard fist slammed against his jaw and he felt the bone shatter. The world went black.

*

Heero moved forward and grasped the fallen man's belt, slinging him easily over his shoulder. Trowa was speaking to Duo, talking him down from his Shinigami high. Heero couldn't hear his words but it didn't matter - Duo could, and he could see they were calming him down. He was glad he'd allowed his lover to take care of this man.

Heero would have just shot him, no mercy.

He didn't like people hurting what was his, either.

He'd already had to fight down the urge to kick the sprawled body. Now he carried the unconscious man out of the alley. Wufei and Quatre were several yards away, the blond still holding onto Wufei, arguing with him. They were abruptly quiet when they saw Heero and his burden. They came forward cautiously.

"Alive?" Quatre asked softly, and got an abrupt nod. Relief flooded him - this man was not worth his friends getting into major trouble. Wufei eyed the tall boy, who gazed back at him with an expression he couldn't quite understand. Quatre knew what it was. Protectiveness. Possessiveness. Love.

"You're not injured?" Wufei's dark eyes had gone on to scan Heero's body.

Quatre saw a spark of something else in Heero's eyes when he saw that, but he only shook his head.

"Duo?"

"He's all right!" Came the cheerful voice, and Duo slung an arm around Wufei's shoulder, landing a kiss on the surprised boy's cheek. "Nice of you to worry about me, 'Fei." Wufei rolled his eyes and scowled, but didn't push him away.

Quatre and Trowa laughed out loud. They retrieved the last two duffel bags from where they'd been stashed inside the door to the apartment house and the five Agents and their unconscious prisoner headed down the street, ignoring the odd looks they got.

They walked in silence for a few moments, no one quite sure what to say now. Wufei's head was reeling from too many things happening at once - friends changing to lovers, death threats, having two people suddenly so protective of him. All of them were wondering what was going to happen when they reached headquarters and Hernbeck found out his last grasping plot for safety had failed. They hoped he'd already been arrested.

Duo felt they were getting worried over nothing, and needed something to do to break the tension. Annoying Wufei had always worked before - and now he would get the opportunity to kiss and make up, right?

"Hey, 'Fei? What about the pizza? I still want some!"

A sigh. "Maxwell..."


	23. Take 'Em Out

**CHAPTER 23** - Take 'em Out 

**A/N:** Words in = ... = are words sent in code :)

Osborne came back to awareness slowly. For several moments he was confused - he sat upright but couldn't move, his jaw felt heavy and numb, and he couldn't seem to focus his eyes. After the initial confusion he realized he was strapped into a chair in the big conference room, angry voices all around him. He blinked rapidly until his vision cleared, and saw the five teenagers sitting around the table. Lady Une and Doctor Po were there, and a furious-looking Major Hernbeck was in one seat with two armed guards behind him. Agent Burks sat quietly at the far end of the table, staring intently at something. Osborne swung his head around - it felt twice as big as usual and as heavy as a bowling ball - to see that his eyes were firmly fixed on Agent Chang.

The Chinese boy had his cool, arrogant mask firmly in place but his high cheekbones were flushed. Osborne's ears were ringing too hard to understand the words that were flying hot and hard around the room. He didn't feel up to trying, either - he let himself slide back into darkness.

Wufei would have loved to join him. This had to be the most embarrassing meeting he'd ever been in. Hernbeck was bringing up example after example of Wufei's so-called insubordination and carelessness. Then Une or one of his friends would reply, their voices hot or cool as their personalities dictated, taking up for him. Hernbeck's furious voice would outline a mission he had personally planned and list _exactly_ what Wufei had done 'wrong,' only to be shot down by the reasons why Wufei's actions were exactly right.

The Major was now down to disparaging remarks about antisocial behavior and alienating other Agents. Une calmly replied that she 'wasn't hosting a kegger.' Wufei wanted to crawl under the table and pull the chair in after him - but that remark made him snicker. It made Duo laugh out loud, and Heero grinned at his lover. Then he caught Wufei's gaze and closed one eye in a slow wink. That surprised the Chinese boy so much that he forgot to be embarrassed.

At least, he did until Hernbeck finally roared, "And he's _gay_! On top of everything else, he's a _fag_!"

Wufei turned white, the pencil he'd been tapping idly against the table dropping from frozen fingers.

_How...?_

He had sudden wild visions of surveillance equipment and cameras set up in his bedroom last night - ridiculous, but how else would Hernbeck know...?

"Yeah, you little shit." Hernbeck was sneering at his astonished face. "Thought you were keeping it all a secret, didn't you? Why do you think I had you take those extra psychological reviews? I _knew_ you were hiding something, I just never thought it was something so _disgusting!_ I..."

"Enough!" Une said sharply, staring at Wufei and wondering why on earth he suddenly looked so relieved? Hernbeck subsided and she turned her cold eyes on him. "As Commanding Officer of this sector you should know the Preventers' stand on sexual preferences. You should be able to _quote_ it." She raised an eyebrow and waited. Hernbeck set his lips stubbornly and stared back. Une looked amused and turned to Sally instead.

"Doctor? Perhaps you'd care to... enlighten... the Major? Oh!" She stopped as if remembering something. "I meant _former_ Major, of course! Enlighten _Mister_ Hernbeck."

_Not even 'Agent.'_

That thought went through every other head there - except Osborne's, of course - and most of the faces grinned. It was as good as an official announcement that the man was out of the Preventers. The Maj... Hernbeck glared at the smug faces with impotent fury. How _dare_ they...?

"Sally?" Une's gentle prompt wiped the smile from the Doctor's face - she was abruptly all business.

"Right. Preventers Official Guideline #17-A: 'Sexual preference of Agents shall not be inquired if unknown nor discussed if known, and shall have no bearing upon mission planning, performance ratings, rank promotions or any other aspect of Preventer practices, save that spouses or partners shall not be teamed without express permission from their Commanding Officer." She stopped and gave the former Major a sweet smile.

The man deflated like a leaking balloon.

"So," Une said briskly, "that brings us up to four prosecutable offenses - attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, forgery and falsifying documents - and at least nine violations of Preventer Guidelines. Each one of those is subject to internal prosecution, and carry sentences that mean a nice long time in the Stockade. I think that - yes, Quatre?"

The blond slid a folder across the table to her.

Wufei realized which one it was and winced.

"I think you might find a few more violations in there." Quatre told her calmly, ignoring the surprised looks from his friends. He hadn't had a chance to tell them about Wufei's finances. Well, they'd learn soon enough.

Lady Une opened the folder, her eyes bright with curiosity. She turned over a few papers, looking puzzled, then realized what she was looking at. "Wufei!" She said, her tone reproachful.

He flushed slightly and turned his eyes away, glaring at the wall.

Sally and the other pilots had to sit on their curiosity while she went through each bit of paper, making notes on a pad. Finally she sat back, studying the figures she'd written down, and pushed the folder over to Sally.

Trowa was sitting next to the doctor, and gazed over her shoulder as she went through the contents. Soon enough they were wearing matching scowls, glaring at Hernbeck.

"This is just _mean_," Sally finally said, handing the folder to Duo, who looked like he was going to explode if he didn't find out what was going on.

Trowa nodded, agreeing with Sally, his visible eye dark with anger. Hernbeck had tried to ruin Wufei's life, run down his body, break his spirit - that he'd added ruining his finances was just insult on injury. It almost made him angrier than the rest of it.

Heero and Duo went through the folder together, with mixed reactions. They were both furious that this had happened - but managed to communicate to each other that this meant 'Fei probably had very little money saved. Which in turn meant he was going to need a place to stay when they got back to Earth. Which meant it was going to be that much easier to get him into their apartment.

"Where he belongs." Duo muttered under his breath.

*

They were out in the hall a few minutes later, discussing events in low voices while Une quietly lectured Wufei. The Head of Internal Affairs had taken over inside the conference room, smiling with a certain grim anticipation at the deflated former Major. That had been the last thing they'd seen as an aide closed the door.

It was a memory they'd treasure.

Sally and Quatre had gone back to searching through Wufei's financial folder, adding up the total of the compensation check that everyone knew Une would be ordering . Trowa was listening, occasionally reminding them of various bonuses they had forgotten. Duo and Heero were watching Wufei, amused that he was able to hang on to his arrogant mask although he was looking anywhere except at Une.

They all looked up, curious, when Hernbeck's little wide-eyed secretary came hurrying down the hall to hand Une a folded paper. She didn't wait for a response, just scurried away like she expected them to pounce. Une rolled her eyes and opened the note. Her amused expression quickly faded to her normal cool business-like one. She turned to her watching Agents.

"Apparently all the leaks aren't plugged yet - the Mercenaries have found out something is going on - they're packing up to move."

"Well," Duo smiled, "we can't have that, can we?"

"Not at _all_," Quatre agreed.

Heero, Wufei and Trowa just grinned.

"Wufei..." Sally started, and he leveled a glare at her. "...be careful?" she tried, smiling, and he smirked at her in return. Her smile became a grin. Wufei was tough, he'd be all right. They needed his knowledge of the area. It was the mercs she ought to be concerned about.

_As if!_

*

Wufei was once again crouched on a tree branch, sharp eyes watching a group of men gathered below him. Circumstances were a little different this time - he was well-fed, well-rested. His body was relatively pain free. The men milling below were the ones with the worry and stress.

Best of all, the four most important people in his life - the only people he would trust _with_ his life - were hidden in strategic spots around the clearing, ready to back him up.

He didn't think he'd ever quite appreciated security so much.

Dark eyes went back to their study as Wufei shook himself from any thoughts that weren't mission related. He had a job to do and he was going to do it. He knew these men - had learned over the weeks of his last mission which ones were dangerous and which could be safely ignored. Or at least not worried about - ignored wasn't the right word. Even fools could be dangerous under the right circumstances.

His fingers went to the small device on his left wrist, touching it in a pre-determined rhythm. An invention of Heero's, it looked like an ordinary watch, but the small flat button on the side actually transmitted the gentle taps he was making to other devices on his friends' wrists, causing them to vibrate. They only worked for short distances, but were invaluable in a situation like this. He sent his partners the information they were going to need, letting them know who were the most dangerous targets.

Boss Man wasn't there, but they hadn't really expected him. Any hint of trouble would send the man scrambling for cover, leaving his employees to face any danger or clean up any messes. All they could really hope for was that someone would be willing to make a deal - and give them Boss Man's name.

If that didn't happen, they would have to rely on publishing Wufei's sketch. Although he knew he was a fair artist - his friends claimed he was more than fair, but he knew that was only praise - he had only seen the man in the flickering light of gas lanterns and campfires. Not to mention that he'd been above him, looking down. The likelihood of someone recognizing the sketch was slim.

'_Slim to_ none,' he thought, a smirk twisting his lips. It just made it that much more important that his operation succeed. They couldn't allow the man to start this up somewhere else. Even with someone less inept than Major Hernbeck to combat them, they could cause untold damage before they were stopped.

He finished transmitting the information the other pilots would need and got ready for his own part of the plan. These were the most dangerous of the mercenaries, a fact Duo had found amusing, if the words he was sending now were any judge. He cited the men on the trail, hunting for Wufei, as his example. Wufei smirked again, remembering the loudmouthed pair of searchers, and sent back a quick line of code.

= Not all of them are fools. They send the morons to do the least important work. =

= Patrolling isn't important? =

= It wasn't considered important in those areas. Why do you think that's where I set up base? =

= Smart, Wu-man. =

Wufei rolled his eyes, sighing. Only Duo would manage to send a nickname through code.

His eyes flew back to the camp below as men began to get to their feet. Apparently the impromptu evening meeting was over - time to move. He gathered himself carefully, waiting for the signal. Heero was technically the leader of this mission, although the others knew they would be on their own once the action started. Wufei kept his eyes fixed on his target, a tall, broad man he was certain was second-in-command of the entire group. He spared only enough attention to be sure of where the other targets were going, watching them in his peripheral vision. He trusted the others' abilities, but it was always best to know where your enemies were.

The device on his wrist vibrated, mayhem broke out in the clearing, and he launched himself at his target, landing feet-first against the man's chest and knocking him over backwards. A single blow to his neck and the man was unconscious. Wufei never really stopped moving, rolling over to get back on his feet, holding a defensive pose as onyx eyes searched for a secondary target. He saw some lower-level mercs heading for Quatre, apparently considering the small blond an easy target, and flung himself after them.

He knew Quatre probably wouldn't need the help, but there were four of them and most of the action elsewhere was already over. He saw Preventer uniforms moving into the area even now. He reached the men just as they reached Quatre, and took one out with a quick kick to the back of the head. Two of the others turned sharply, while the fourth kept going for Quatre. Wufei didn't worry about him. He saw one of his opponents pull out a gun and moved quickly to disarm him. The second man clawed for his own weapon, and Wufei turned nimbly, placing the man's partner between himself and the gun.

Too bad the other man was desperate.

He shot his partner without hesitation, and turned the gun back to Wufei. The Chinese boy didn't hesitate either - he jumped for the man, turning in midair and slamming his foot against his temple while the gun discharged harmlessly into the empty space where he'd been standing. The merc lost his hold on the gun as he was knocked flat on his back. Wufei landed in a crouch, one hand going for a split second to press against his injured rib even as he had his own gun covering the fallen merc. The rest of the clearing was already under Preventer control - it was only a moment before an Agent he didn't know was cuffing the man. Quatre came to stand beside him, his own opponent out cold.

"Are you all right?" he asked, pitching his voice low.

"Yes."

"Wufei... I saw you holding your rib."

"Just jarred it a little. That's all."

"All right." Quatre said slowly, but Wufei noticed that he kept his eyes on him, even when Duo came over and flung an arm around his shoulders.

"You still fly around like Superman, Wu." he said, laughing.

"I thought Heero was Superman." Wufei replied dryly, watching as Agents led the mercs from the clearing.

"Yeah," Duo grinned, "I guess I should call you Spiderman. You sure can climb trees now - can you go up walls, too?" His tone was the light teasing Wufei remembered from the war - he was surprised to find that he had missed hearing it. It gave him an odd sense of happiness, although he replied with his usual curt tones.

"Exercise your observation skills and find out."

Duo laughed and leaned closer, pitching his voice low. "Aw, c'mon, 'Fei... you ought to tell me some of your secrets now... I mean, after last night..."

Wufei turned dark red and glared at him.

Duo laughed again and ran for his life.

*

They chose to stay and help with cleanup operations, moving through the cold night of the jungle sweeping for mercs that might have escaped the planned strikes. At the same time that the pilots and their backup had hit the clearing where the leaders met, other teams had descended on supply points and the dorms the mercs thought were so well hidden; Wufei had found them all during his mission, so they weren't coming across many stragglers.

"Boooooring..." Duo whispered, standing beside Wufei as they checked yet another empty hidey-hole. Wufei only rolled his eyes. The other boy hadn't left his side since they'd left the first clearing. Wufei suspected he and Heero had agreed on this before the mission even started. As team leader, Heero was required to help bring the prisoners back to base, and they were only now receiving messages from him again, meaning he was back to help with the search.

"I don't think we're gonna find anybody, Wu." Duo complained, still pitching his voice low. Just because there didn't seem to be anyone hiding around them didn't mean there actually wasn't. Better safe than sorry, and Duo knew it.

He had no intention of endangering his own life - or Wufei's.

'_Nope - got _way_ too many plans to risk that..._' he thought, a wicked hentai grin spreading across his face. Wufei turned to ask him a question, saw that look, and started backing away. He remembered that grin from last night.

"Duo..."

"Why, 'Fei-fei... where ya goin'?" Duo asked, slinking after him as his grin got broader.

"Now's not the time, Duo." Wufei didn't stop his retreat.

"Not the time for what, 'Fei?"

Wufei opened his mouth to answer and they both froze, then dropped to the ground. They'd heard something move in the jungle outside the tiny clearing they were in - someone was coming, trying and failing to muffle their footsteps. The two Preventers ghosted their way along the ground and into the undergrowth, waiting.

A moment later, two large men came stumbling into the clearing, their clothing in disarray and their eyes wild. Wufei felt Duo go still beside him and shot him a curious look. Almost immediately the device on his wrist started receiving code.

= We are *definitely* taking these two out! =

= Why? =

= You don't recognize them? =

= They're just some patrol guards. =

= Who are they? =

The last question was from a new sender - they easily recognized Heero's signal.

= Can you see their faces? = Duo asked him.

= No - my position is on the other side of the clearing. =

= They're the ones from the path - when we were first here. =

Wufei's 'watch' received the code for 'use all necessary force', and his eyebrows shot up his forehead. Apparently Heero knew exactly what that meant, and it made him as angry as it was making Duo. He shook his head slightly, confused, but sure that if his friends... lovers... _friends_ were this upset, it would be for good reason. He sent back an 'affirmative' a split second after Duo did.

= Get ready to move. = The order came from Heero as the two men, groaning and complaining and barely remembering to keep their voices low - or what they seemed to consider low - sat down and began unlacing their boots. Wufei shook his head sadly - only idiots would be removing their footwear when they might have to run at any second. No matter what else they might have done, stupidity would be a good enough reason to take them out.

The device vibrated for the second time that evening in a signal to attack, and Duo and Wufei both launched themselves at the men in the clearing. Heero came diving out of the undergrowth at the same time. The mercs only stared - wide-eyed and slack-jawed - and were on their faces with hands cuffed behind their backs in seconds.

"So," Wufei said, watching the mercs with one eyebrow raised at the others, "why were you so determined to take care of these two?"

Heero and Duo exchanged glances, and Heero shrugged.

"Because," Duo muttered, glaring at the bound men, "they were also the ones who went by the tree when we were at the river."

Wufei gazed at him blankly.

"Do you remember what they were discussing?" Heero asked calmly, never taking his own eyes off the men.

"Huh? Oh!" Wufei abruptly turned red, then faintly green as he as he looked at the two cowering men. One was just terrified, but the other, although he was obviously frightened, was gazing at him in a way that made his skin crawl.

"Recognize you..." he muttered, his eyes narrow. "Little brat's been wreaking our equipment, ruining our supplies..." His eyes flicked over the Preventer's uniform and narrowed. "Wished I'd really caught you now!" he spat. "Dirty rotten _cop_! Always messin' up business. Woulda screwed you so hard you wouldn't uv walked straight for a month! Woulda shoved it so far..."

"I would advise you to stop speaking." Heero said coldly, his blue eyes shining with controlled rage.

The man subsided, though he continued to mutter under his breath.

Duo turned away, fishing out his communicator to call the capture in. Heero walked over to stand beside Wufei, who was glaring at the man with raw anger in his dark eyes. He was still a little green. Heero put an arm around the small waist and those bottomless black eyes turned up to him. He didn't speak - he let his eyes do his reassuring for him. Wufei huffed and looked away from the men, watching Duo as he chattered over the radio - but Heero felt him lean into the touch.

Just a little.

He smiled.


	24. Fei's Answer

**CHAPTER 24** - 'Fei's Answer

"A job well done." Une purred at them when they got back to the shuttle. She had told them, allowing no arguments, that they were going back to earth as soon as this mission was over - she was only waiting now because Wufei asked to retrieve something from his office. She and Sally had thought they had gotten everything personal, be he'd looked at the small box of items they had and shook his head. So Heero went with him, since they still didn't want to leave him alone, and the others sat and grinned while Lady Une praised them for what had actually been an easy mission.

Wufei went into his office and straight to his small filing cabinet. Heero watched, bemused, as he took the bottom drawers out and slid his arm inside the back of the cabinet. He was even more surprised when he came back out with his katana.

"Why were you hiding it?" He asked, as they started down the hall.

"It kept vanishing." Wufei replied. "I had to hunt it down several times when it just disappeared from my office, and it was stolen from my apartment once. I had to redeem it at a pawn shop. I never found out who stole it - too many missions. I didn't have the research time."

Heero grimaced. "Wufei - don't do this again." He didn't have to say what.

Wufei had the grace to blush. "I won't." He said softly, and Heero knew it was as good as a promise.

"Where are the rest of your things?" Heero asked a question Quatre and the others had been meaning to ask.

"On the shuttle." Wufei replied, blinking at him.

"No - where are your other swords, and all your books? You didn't keep your apartment on Earth, did you?"

"No. They're..." He stopped. They were going past Hernbeck's office, where the man was packing his personal belongings under the gimlet eye of the Internal Affairs man. Wufei stared at a large picture Hernbeck was taking off the wall - it was of his entire family, taken at a reunion a year or so before. Hernbeck was very proud of his lineage, and often gave his Agents lectures on the people in the picture, explaining their lives and history and why they were superior to everyone there. Even Wufei had been subjected to several. Now he stepped into the room, willingly looking at the 'Portrait of Doom' as the Agents called it, for the first time.

"Well," he said softly, "that's a bit anti-climatic."

"What?" Heero asked, while Hernbeck jerked around to stare at them.

Wufei gestured to the picture, waiting to see if Heero saw what he saw. His partner gazed at the large photo for a long moment while Hernbeck blustered, the presence of the other Agents keeping him from saying too much.

"Ah." Heero said suddenly, his eyes settling on the tall man standing next to the Major in the picture. "I see. Boss Man." He had only seen Wufei's sketch once, but easily recognized the man from it.

"Mmm," Wufei agreed, "your brother, wasn't it, Major? I mean, Mr. Hernbeck?"

The Major only snarled at him, turning away and starting to put the picture into a large box.

The IA man stepped forward and stopped him. "Now, now. No removing evidence, remember?" He took the picture and handed it to one of his own men. "You'll inform Lady Une, I suppose?" He asked the two pilots. They nodded, and he gave them a half-smile in return.

Hernbeck watched as the Internal Affairs men studied the picture, his hands twitching with the need to snatch it back. How dare they... the peasants! How _dare_ they even consider themselves good enough to _look_ at his family?! He turned feverish eyes on the two boys standing by the door, saw the tall one's blue eyes turn to look down at Agent Chang. Some unknown force made the smaller Agent's head lift to gaze back up at him - then he saw something he'd never seen in all the months he'd kept the damn boy here.

Chang smiled.

Hernbeck snapped.

He roared out an inarticulate curse and jumped for Wufei. Heero's eyes snapped to him and he started to move to guard his lover. Before he could even shift his weight, Wufei had moved away from him, standing easily, waiting for Hernbeck to reach him.

He would never attack the man on his own, but no one would blame him for defending himself.

He smiled again, an arrogant smirk that made Heero grin like Duo and made Hernbeck even angrier. The big man launched himself at the boy, fists swinging.

Heero settled against the doorframe, folding his arms casually. 'Hmm,' he thought to himself, 'Wufei sure hasn't lost any skill since the last time I saw him fight.' Indeed, if the grinning IA men didn't move in soon, Hernbeck was going to have to visit the hospital before they'd be able to book him for his offenses. The man didn't seem to know when to quit, howling and throwing wild punches at Wufei. _He_ blocked them all with ease, moving like quicksilver, never landing a punch or a kick until Hernbeck swung at him, driving him back as he tried to use his height and weight to overcome the slim boy.

The men watching winced through their smiles as small hands and feet thumped solidly against Hernbeck's torso. Wufei was holding back, just hitting hard enough to leave the man with lovely bruises instead of broken bones. Hernbeck was going to be miserable if he didn't back off soon.

Heero shook his head sadly. What an idiot.

Hernbeck stopped for a second, panting heavily, and stared at the little Agent he hated. How... how was he doing this? Was this why he came back from those missions with minor injuries or without a scratch on him when other Agents were hospitalized? Hernbeck had believed, and spread the rumors, that Chang let the others do the dirty work before he stepped in and took the glory. They had all calmly ignored the fact that it didn't explain how he also aced his solo missions. The little bastard was _good_! How could he be...? How _dare_ he be better than his Commanding Officer?! He couldn't be! This was a... a fluke!

He screamed out his fury one last time, snatching up the long, round paperweight he'd kept on his desk. Solid glass and shaped roughly like a snake, it had cost a fortune but he was willing to sacrifice it for a good cause. He lifted it over his head and brought it slamming down toward Chang.

Wufei was fed up. He'd given the idiot every chance he was willing to give. If he was going to be so dishonorable as to bring a weapon into the fight, he could just take the consequences. He easily dodged the clumsy blow and spun around, putting all his weight and force into a straight-leg kick to the center of Hernbeck's chest.

"Oof!" one of the IA men gasped appreciatively as Hernbeck went flying back, tumbling completely over his desk to land on the floor on the other side.

Heero smirked at him and strolled forward to stand beside Wufei, who wasn't even breathing hard. "Done?"

"I was done before I started." Wufei said calmly, watching as the IA men pulled Hernbeck to his feet - they weren't being very gentle with him.

Their superior grinned at the two young Agents. "He'll certainly be easier to handle now. Such a shame, trying to attack an Agent like that. I'll definitely be adding this to the charges." His grin was getting wider and wider, especially when Hernbeck, swaying and moaning from his injuries, groaned louder at his words.

There were times when he truly loved his job.

"We need to go." Wufei said softly.

Heero nodded, remembering the others were waiting, and they started back down the hall. After a moment Heero went back to his former question. "Where are the rest of your things? They weren't stolen, too, were they?"

If they had been, he wasn't leaving this colony until he got them back for Wufei.

"No. They're in a storage facility on Earth. I never expected..." he trailed off.

"To be here this long." Duo finished for him, appearing from nowhere beside them as they walked.

Wufei nodded.

"Well, that just makes this easier."

"What do you mean?"

"Easier for you to move in with us. If your stuff's in storage, it's already packed, right?"

Wufei stopped short. "M-move in with you?!" All the doubt and uncertainty he'd struggled with earlier came rushing back at those words. They wanted him to live with them?!

"Aw, c'mon, 'Fei." Duo stepped behind him, sliding an arm around his waist and hugging him tight. "You didn't really think we were going to let you go, did you?"

"I..."

"We aren't." Heero replied, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"So don't bother trying to get away." Duo teased. "We'll just hunt you down again."

Wufei blinked at them, taken by surprise and absolutely uncertain what he should say.

"C'mon, 'Fei." Duo chided softly, tightening the arm he had around him. "We told you we loved you. Didn't we show you, too? We want you with us."

"For... for how long?" Wufei finally managed, feeling like his world was spinning out of control.

"Forever." Heero replied, his voice low as he stepped closer to his lovers.

"Forever." Duo echoed, dropping a kiss on Wufei's slim bronze neck.

Wufei sighed and very nearly melted into a puddle - Duo was taking blatant advantage of the sensitive spot Heero had discovered the other night.

Duo pulled him back into an empty office, out of sight of any curious Agents who might be wandering the halls.

Heero followed, easing the door shut behind him. They didn't need an audience for this. He moved to wrap his arms around both the smaller boys, holding them close.

"Are... are you sure..." Wufei tried again, unable to grasp the concept that they really wanted him. _Why_ would they want him? He wanted them, had for years, but the idea that they might want him in return had never occurred to him - well, until the other night - and he still couldn't wrap his mind around the thought that it was more than just a one-time thing, based on physical attraction. It didn't help that he had no idea what they found attractive about him.

"This is perfect." Heero said softly, tightening his arms to explain what he meant. "This is the way I want to stay."

"Me, too." Duo whispered, rubbing his cheek against Wufei's while he wrapped his free arm around Heero and pulled him even closer. "This is the way we were meant to be, 'Fei."

Wufei still wasn't sure - he had the horrible feeling that this was a dream. Or a joke. No, not a joke, his comrades wouldn't be that cruel to him - but a dream was a very real possibility.

And if it wasn't a dream, and he said yes - what if they changed their minds?

_ But I can't live my life like I used to - can't go back to what I was before. _

"I - don't know." He tried, searching for words to explain his doubts to the two boys looking at him so eagerly.

Duo and Heero didn't have any doubts. But they understood what was going on - it had taken them almost two years to struggle this out, to become comfortable with the idea of two lovers before they'd broached the subject to each other. Wufei had two days. It was no wonder he was gazing at them with such doubtful, wistful eyes.

It was the wistful bit that kept them going. Wufei wanted them, whether he realized how much or not.

"'Fei, don't you want to be with us?" Duo deliberately played against the trace of longing he saw on the smaller boy's face.

"I... yes... but..." A little embarrassing to admit he was so weak, that he _wanted_ what they were offering so badly - but they didn't seem to think so. They looked thrilled.

"But what?" Heero pressed him a little further.

Wufei wondered again when he had learned to speak so easily. He'd always been so silent and abrupt. Now he was asking questions about emotions and relationships, for gods sake!

'I guess Duo's been good for him.' he thought, while trying to come up with a reasonable answer to Heero's question.

"But nothing, 'Fei." Duo broke in. "What are you thinking, that we're going to get tired of you in a few days and toss you out? Not going to happen. This isn't just a fun little idea that we had the other day. Years, 'Fei, we've been wanting you for _years_. We _are not_ going to let you go. We want you and you need us. You can't live your life alone."

_I can't live my life afraid, either - if they change their minds later, they just do... I guess... I'll take the chance_...

"All right," he said, so softly they almost couldn't hear him. "For... for a while."

"For always." Duo pushed, not happy with 'a while.'

"For as long as you want me." Wufei conceded, but would go no further.

"Then we get our forever." Heero said softly.

"And it's about time." Duo whispered, kissing 'Fei's neck again, enjoying the little sigh he got in response. "It's about damn time. Let's go home."

"Home," Heero agreed, "together."

'_Together,_' Wufei thought as they loosened the hold they had on each other and moved toward the door, knowing Une and the others were waiting for them in the shuttle. _'Beautiful word_.'

Together.

For as long as it lasted.

At least for now, he wouldn't be alone.

~owari~

**A/N:** Don't DIE, I'm writing a lemony Epilogue...


	25. Epilouge

**A/N: Once again, I'm iffy about the lemon. This one is _much_ different from the sweet lemonade in chapter 18. I tried to link it out and it just wouldn't work. HTML is not my forte. If it's too much, again, someone let me know! Definitely not for kiddies!**

**EPILOGUE** aka **Chapter 25**

*****One Year Later*****

Heero got home late one evening - he'd been gone for almost three weeks on a mission and he wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around his kois and never let them go again. Three weeks was far too long to be away from them. He slid the door open quietly and eased inside - even with such a long mission, he was back early, and he wanted to surprise them.

Hopefully being naughty.

He blushed - he was starting to think too much like Duo.

He stopped inside the door to shed his coat, shoes, and bag. As he toed his boots off he gazed down at the floor, where Duo's black hi-tops sat beside a pair of black Chinese slippers. One of the smaller shoes was upside down - he bent and picked it up. It was tiny - small enough to fit in his hand, toe at his fingertips and heel resting on the edge of his palm. He smiled a little. Wufei still hadn't grown much in the year they'd had him with him - he'd gained to the grand height of 5' 3" and seemed permanently stuck there. He didn't mind.

"My father was only 5' 2"," he told them proudly, as if that made it all perfect. They'd smiled and agreed with him - they liked their koi the size he was. Duo especially enjoyed calling him his 'Little Dragon', much to Wufei's disgust.

Heero smiled again, setting the tiny shoe back down neatly beside its mate. Three sets of shoes - the way it was meant to be. He hung up his jacket and stayed inside the closet for a moment, smiling again at the different sized coats hanging there. He was in the mood to appreciate little things, to ponder the happenings of the year past...

...to wonder where his lovers were?!

He could hear music playing somewhere inside the apartment - so Duo was home. It was definitely his music. The Chinese slippers being there didn't mean Wufei was there - Une wouldn't let him wear them on missions, saying they were no protection whatsoever. She was still very protective of their Dragon, keeping a careful eye over his mission log and his paychecks, even though he'd promised to never let someone take advantage of him like Hernbeck had again.

He heard laughter from one of the back rooms - Duo's carefree laughter and Wufei's husky echo - so they _were_ both home. Good.

He enjoyed hearing them laugh - it was a reminder that their masks, put on by life and by war, were becoming things of the past - Duo's happy laughter was real, Wufei's nonexistent laugh - and his own - were heard more and more often.

He heard footsteps going down the hall to the kitchen, and could tell from their tone that his roommates were now having a friendly argument. Probably over what to eat - Wufei was still a health-food nut and Duo was addicted to junk food - Heero didn't care, as long as he ate and it wasn't constantly total trash. Wufie'd been good for them that way - he'd made sure they had balanced diets, even if he did have to disguise Duo's healthy food as something sinful.

He'd been good for them.

Heero hoped they'd been as good for him.

People at work seemed to think so - Sally often commented that she didn't recognize him, though Quatre and Trowa said that she was exaggerating, that Wufei had just mellowed like the rest of them. Heero would have preferred that the other Preventers, who also commented that Agent Chang was 'so different', would take a little less interest in their personal affairs. Something about a 'threesome' as most referred to what he only thought of as 'his loves' seemed to make them think they could comment all they wanted. Some of the comments were less than kind, although Une usually clamped down on those Agents, knowing picking on them meant they would pick on anyone. Others seemed to think that it meant they were loose enough and open enough to sleep with anyone - or at least discuss their relationship freely.

He scowled suddenly, remembering a certain Agent Walters and the trouble he'd caused with Wufei. It had taken them forever to figure out why, after they'd finally taken their relationship to the ultimate level, that Wufei wouldn't do... certain things. After they'd finally worn him down and convinced him that they really _did_ want him to - for lack of a better word - top them, they'd demanded to know why he never would before. After learning about Walter's unsolicited advice and having a serious debate about _height_, he and Duo had hunted Agent Walters down and threatened him with severe bodily harm if he'd ever spoken to Wufei about such 'delicate' matters again.

Heero grinned. The man's reaction had been - amusing.

He left the closet and ghosted down the hall, waiting until he could tell that both his lovers were in the pantry before he slipped past the kitchen. He wanted to be changed and comfortable before he saw them - not to mention it would be that much more of a surprise, and he could tease them about their awareness slackening. A grin that would do Duo justice spread across his face - if he could get away with this, he could insist on being seme tonight.

Fun.

His brain was still running in 'do-you-remember' mode as he went into the bathroom after changing. He was just going to splash water on his face, but found himself studying the two hairbrushes on the sink with amused eyes. Wufei and Duo refused to use each other's brushes - Wufei insisted Duo's had the bristles worn down too far to even begin to straighten out tangles, while Duo declared Wufei's was so sharp it scraped his scalp. So there were two hairy brushes on the sink.

Heero smiled at them - he had long ago accepted that he had a hair fetish - if those brushes hadn't been there he would have panicked. He'd always loved Duo's thigh-length chestnut waves, and both of them had become addicted to running their fingers through Wufei's raven locks. They had even convinced him to let it grow longer - it was now a little over halfway down his back. They'd talked him into it after what Duo referred to as the 'bad hair week' - he loved to tell his friends the story, over and over and over. Quatre and Trowa, thankfully, loved to hear it, even requesting it. Sally's daughter thought it was hilarious, even though Sally insisted she wasn't old enough to understand what Duo was telling her. She laughed in all the right places, though. Wufei insisted his god-daughter was just smarter than most children. Heero was inclined to agree.

He liked the story, too, although he'd hated the week. It had started off with Duo nearly losing his braid - Heero had come back from a short mission just in time to help an exhausted Wufei untangle the last few strands from an odd metal device - their Dragon had cared enough to spend almost nine hours untangling Duo's long, thick hair so it wouldn't have to be cut. After that, Duo had never asked Wufei, in that uncertain way he sometimes had, if 'Fei loved him.

He'd known.

They still weren't sure that Wufei knew how much they loved him - but he'd found out how much they loved his _hair_ when they'd arrived just minutes ahead of time to stop him from having it cut - then stalked another agent and threatened _him_ with bodily harm. And Une had backed them up. Laughed about it, but backed them up.

Then, to top the week off, Heero had ended up with _pink_ hair. Pink. And had to endure the teasing of the entire HQ until Duo and Wufei had done some threatening of their own. Duo's threats had been mostly ignored as just 'more of his teasing' - but _nobody_ ignored Chang Wufei when he threatened them. The teasing had abruptly stopped.

Until he got home, then his kois had ganged up on him.

Not that he'd minded. They'd ganged up in more ways than just teasing.

He sighed and put down the hairbrush he hadn't realized he'd picked up. Enough of this - he wanted to see his lovers, not reminisce about them! He slid out of the bathroom and back down the hall, listening carefully as he went.

"Aw, c'mon, 'Fei! It's not like we have it every day!"

"We would if I let you have your way! You need more fiber in your diet."

"_Old_ people eat fiber. Besides, there's vegetables on it! Tomato sauce, peppers, mushrooms..."

"Swimming in grease, along with sausage and pepperoni and..."

"You do realize you're just making me want it more?"

"Baka! You had some yesterday for lunch! Don't think I didn't see you!"

"The never-ending pizza debate continues." Heero said calmly, strolling into the kitchen.

His lovers froze in mid-sentence and stared at him. Then -

"Hee-chan!" Duo shouted, flinging himself at him. Wufei, as always, let Duo greet Heero first - something they'd given up on trying to coax out of him - and moved instead to run calm, efficient hands over him, checking for injuries while Duo was hanging around his neck, checking to make sure he still had his tonsils. After a moment he pulled back and grinned at Heero, who winked at him and whirled around to grab Wufei, who gave a startled "eep!" as he was yanked into the air and into a deep, warm kiss. When he was finally let up for air, he mock-glared at Heero.

"Put me down. I still have to make dinner."

"Oh, c'mon, 'Fei-fei! You don't wanna spend your time at the stove when Heero's home, do ya? Let's order out!"

Wufei looked at Heero, who shrugged and tightened his grip around Wufei's waist, still not putting him down.

"All right. But no pizza!" Their nutritionist caved.

"Deal! Hero sandwiches! With lots of lettuce and tomatoes, to make our Dragon happy! Happy Little Dragon..." Duo escaped down the hall while Wufei was struggling to get out of Heero's arms. Heero just smirked at him.

"C'mon, Little Dragon," he whispered, gently mocking Duo while he slid a hand up Wufei's spine to settle on the back of his neck. "Welcome me home."

And Wufei smiled, and did.

"Hey!" A voice laughed a moment later, and Wufei felt strong arms wrap around him again, pinning him between two tall bodies. "You guys really better learn to share."

"Put me down!" Wufei tried again, reminded of his less-than-dignified position. He kicked his dangling feet in an effort to get free - the way he was being held, they were nearly a foot off the floor.

"No." The word came in two-part harmony, then Heero and Duo pulled him into a three-way kiss, something they'd long ago perfected. Wufei sighed and subsided.

A few minutes later they were shocked out of their impromptu make out session when the doorbell rang. Duo jerked away from Wufei's delicious throat to glare down the hall.

"They really do mean five minute delivery - jeez, the one time you _want_ the food to be late..." he stalked away to answer the door.

"You're the one who wanted takeout." Wufei called after him, his voice muffled against Heero's chest.

"Shut up, 'Fei!"

Wufei snickered and started wriggling. "Heero, put me down now."

"No." Heero said, short and efficient of speech as always. Wufei's squirming felt _good_! No way was he putting him down. He pulled him into another deep, searching kiss instead, sliding one hand down to cup a firm, round backside, and discovered that he very much enjoyed the sensation of Wufei's toes curling against his calves.

'Learning new things still!' he thought happily, deepening the kiss even further.

"Guys! Let's eat, or we won't have the energy to keep going." Duo teased them from the doorway, dumping several white takeout bags on the table.

"Did you order the whole restaurant?" Wufei teased back as Heero finally, reluctantly, set him down.

"Heero's hungry." Duo replied, and Wufei knew it was true from the way Heero was eyeing the bags. "Between us, 'Fei, you're going to be lucky to get one sandwich."

"Who said I was eating one of those things?" Wufei replied calmly, heading for the refrigerator and 'sensible' food.

Heero and Duo both snaked out long arms and grabbed him, pulling him back and sitting him down firmly in the chair between them like he was a naughty child.

"You're eating with us," Duo purred, setting a thick sandwich in front of him.

Wufei rolled his eyes and took a delicate bite.

Duo rolled his own eyes and took the biggest bite he could manage - long years of practice made that pretty big.

Heero laughed at them and devoured his food and half of Wufei's - most of the time they tried to talk him into eating more, but tonight Heero was hungry for other things - and they could always force a snack down him later. He polished off the last bite and lifted his eyes to gaze at Duo, who was already finished and had his chin leaning on his fist, gazing right back at him. Heero smiled softly at him and raised an eyebrow, slanting his eyes over to Wufei, who was currently oblivious as he folded sandwich papers and stuffed them down into one of the white paper bags. An evil grin spread across Duo's face, one Heero was well used to and very much enjoyed. They communicated a few things silently, then attacked.

One second Wufei was clearing the table - the next second and he was flat on his back on the living room rug, staring up at his lovers with total astonishment on his delicate face.

"Gotcha, 'Fei." Duo smiled at him. "So you're mine."

"And I got both of you. I was home ten minutes before you knew it," Heero growled in Duo's ear, "so you're _both_ mine."

"Well," Wufei said sarcastically, "now that you two have worked out the positions, shall we get to it?"

"Such a sweet talker, 'Fei." Duo laughed, but he and Heero were pleased. It had taken a long time for Wufei to say anything remotely sexual without turning red as a tomato - although they loved his blushes, they were glad he was becoming more comfortable around them. He still wouldn't initiate things, but they could deal with that when he was in one of these moods.

"Hmpf," was Wufei's reply, as he reached for the buttons on Duo's shirt.

"And aggressive!" Duo crowed happily, pushing 'Fei's hands aside long enough to pull the other's t-shirt off, then letting them go back to their former occupation. Heero reached around Duo's shoulder to grasp Wufei's hair tie, breaking it instead of taking the time to undo it.

"Hey!" Wufei protested mildly, then shut up as he watched Heero unbraid Duo's long hair and spread it in glowing waves across his shoulders. Duo joined in the fun by running his fingers through Wufei's hair, fanning it out around him like a dark halo. Heero hummed with pleasure, looking down, then pulled Duo's shirt completely off and yanked off his own tank top. He slid appreciative hands up Duo's leanly muscled sides while his partner leaned down and buried his face back into that delicious honey-colored throat he'd been forced to give up earlier. He zeroed straight in on the sensitive spot Wufei often wished - or pretended to wish - that they'd never discovered. Right now he just sighed and enjoyed it, one hand drifting to Duo's hair while the other slid up Heero's arm to his shoulder, stroking the strong curve of his neck.

Heero had missed his kois for too long to be in the mood for extended foreplay - his left hand was searching in the coffee table drawer for a certain small tube even as his right hand pushed Duo's head further down Wufei's body until he was hovering over a caramel nipple.

"Really taking control, huh?" Duos asked, amused, swooping down on the target he'd been given and taking it in his mouth. Heero growled happily against his shoulder, sliding his hands around to find both of Duo's nubs, rolling them between his fingers. Duo gasped, causing Wufei to gasp, too, and arch his back under Duo's mouth.

Heero loved chain reactions.

He kissed his way along Duo's broad shoulder as his hands slid lower, encountering the fly of his jeans and making short work of _that_ obstacle of clothing. He flung them across the room and reached for Wufei's belt. He still preferred the traditional silk pants he'd always worn, but his lovers didn't mind a bit.

They were easily removable.

As evidenced by the fact that they were shortly joining Duo's jeans, followed closely by Heero's own sweat pants.

Heero and Duo paused, as always, to admire the tiny creature beneath them. Wufei's body was pure poetry, and he didn't often allow them to see him like this, nude in a room with plenty of bright light. Even now he was beginning to flush and squirm under their rapt gazes, wanting nothing more than to cover himself.

So Duo took pity on him, and covered him with his own body.

Wufei gasped.

Duo smirked.

Heero growled, and pressed himself against Duo's backside, showing him just how much he'd missed them.

"H-Heero!" Duo gasped, "You really missed us, huh?" echoing exactly what Heero had been thinking.

He just growled an affirmative, zooming in to latch onto Duo's neck, humming with enjoyment while he rubbed himself against Duo's firm bottom, reaching between them to take both their erections in his hand - a hand that had mysteriously become coated with lubricant.

"_Heero!_ Gods, when you say we're yours, you mean it, huh?" Duo gasped.

Wufei wondered how on earth he was managing to keep enough brain cells to talk - he felt like his own mind was melting and about to leak out of his ears.

'_Then again_,' he thought with a totally irrelevant flash of humor, '_whoever said Duo used his _brain _to talk_?'

"What are you smiling at?" Duo grumbled, and decided to get Wufei's mind back on important things. He dove down and took Wufei's neglected nipple into his mouth, laving it with teeth and tongue, while his hand snaked up to play with the other one. Wufei abruptly forgot what words meant and moaned, losing himself in the pleasure of his lovers hands. Heero and Duo both smirked, smug. It sometimes took awhile before 'Fei would forget himself far enough to start making noises beyond small gasps and sighs - a moan was a good sign that he was well on his way to screams.

They enjoyed Wufei's screams.

Duo felt Heero's hand leave the nipple it had returned to - a second later and a familiar tube was shoved into his own free hand, even as he felt slick fingers slide along his cleft.

"Impatient." He muttered, popping the cap one-handed and squeezing out far too much lube. Wufei snickered beneath him, his own hands drifting over the two strong bodies above him, loving the play of muscles and silky skin beneath his fingertips. Duo couldn't help but grin down at him - pleased as he'd been the first time 'Fei had topped him, this was still his favorite position. Heero, strong and dominant behind him, with strong-willed Wufei laying submissive beneath him, trapped and held captive. Fine-boned and delicate as a bird - he let one hand wander over the beautiful little body while the other parted strong thighs and slid between them, brushing gently over Wufei's plump balls and wandering on to explore the soft skin behind them. Wufei squirmed deliciously and moaned again.

Duo felt the first gelled finger slide into him and copied the action with Wufei, knowing that was what Heero wanted, enjoying the tightness of 'Fei's muscles around his finger, envisioning how they would feel around his cock. Even after a year of lovemaking, Wufei was still so tight... He moaned with anticipatory bliss. Wufei scowled and pushed down on his exploring finger, wanting him to hurry. Duo grinned and waited until Heero added a finger to him before he added another to Wufei, scissoring them gently. 'Fei _was_ small, after all, no matter how tough he thought he was - it was too easy to think he was fully prepared only to find out otherwise. He and Heero had only needed that lesson once. They still shuddered when they thought about it, though Wufei had shrugged it off as an accident and never worried about it again. They'd also learned not to let him in any position where he could force things to hurry along. That lesson had been almost as bad, although 'Fei had convinced them he was to blame - "too impatient" he kept telling them.

Yes, their Little Dragon was always a learning experience.

Duo was so wrapped up in being careful with 'Fei that he nearly missed the slight sting as Heero added a third finger. He moaned for a second, enjoying the sensation, then carefully did the same for their smaller lover. He got nothing but a soft sound of pleasure. Heero kissed his ear, his cheek, then pulled his chin around to kiss his lips. Then he leaned past him to kiss Wufei soundly. He was moving his fingers slowly, and Duo felt a rush of love when he realized Heero was being just as careful with him. Duo had never bled like Wufei had, but Heero wasn't one to take chances with his kois.

A few more moments and Heero removed his fingers, leaving Duo feeling stretched and empty. He eased his own fingers out of Wufei, to the Dragon's great disgust, and waited to see if Heero wanted to check - to tell if 'Fei was fully prepared. He knew Heero trusted him to take care of their Dragon, but he didn't mind a second check. It was good for his own peace of mind as well as Mr. Control Freak's.

When Heero moved to lube Duo's erection instead, Duo caught his hand and guided it to 'Fei's entrance. Thinking about those other times had left him suddenly worried. Heero knew what he wanted, and slid careful fingers inside the Chinese boy's body.

Wufei's dark eyes snapped open.

"Oh, for Nataku's sake..." he grumbled, wiggling away from the fingers and reaching to finish Heero's job on Duo. "I'm fine, I'm ready, I'm _dying_ here, please!"

Heero turned his head to look at Duo and they shared a smirk - then a heated kiss, while Heero's long fingers searched out and found Wufei's' sweet spot, earning them a soft cry.

Too soft.

Heero felt Duo smile that wicked smile against his lips and he stroked that spot inside Wufei again, getting a slightly louder cry.

"W-what... are you...?" Their koi tried to gasp out the question.

They separated from the kiss and beamed down at him with matching grins.

"Oh, no. No, no, _no_!" Wufei moaned. He knew those smiles.

They meant torture.

"I thought... y-you were... in a hurry!" He cried out the last word as Heero's fingers stroked him yet again.

"Mmm..." was his only reply.

He saw Heero's other hand drift back behind Duo, knew from the blissful look on the American's face that Heero's fingers were making sure he stayed stretched - and a delighted yelp told him he wasn't the only one getting his prostate stroked.

Unfortunately for him, Duo kept the presence of mind to go onto the next step of their unspoken plan. He leaned over and began kissing his way down 'Fei's flat stomach.

'_Oh gods...!_' Wufei thought, unable to vocalize the words while Heero's fingers were still about their sweet torture. He knew where Duo was headed. It wasn't that he didn't like that - Nataku above, Duo had a talented mouth! - but he knew they were after screams. They'd bring him to the edge, again and again, without letting him fall over. Not until they got what they were after.

At least he'd enjoy the trip.

Duo traced butterfly kisses down the silken skin of Wufei's inner thigh, across Heero's wrist, and back up the other thigh. He kissed a slow circle around 'Fei's weeping erection, making his Dragon growl, then finally slid his lips delicately up the shaft and fitted them over the head.

Wufei bit his lip.

'_Huh!_' Duo thought, gazing at the white teeth set into that plump red lip, 'He won't be able to do that twice!' He knew Wufei was expecting his usual teasing tongue, slow gentle suction and taking him little by little into the warm depths of his mouth. He knew he could get 'Fei to scream with those techniques after only a few moments... but he didn't _have_ moments. Heero was driving him insane!

So he deepthroated him instead.

And Wufei, who had been braced for that slow torture, gave a surprised scream of ecstasy.

Duo pulled back quickly, wrapping his thumb and forefinger around the base of Wufei's erection to make sure he didn't come - that got him a howl of dismay. He smirked again, but Wufei was beyond caring.

"Please!"

"Please..." Heero echoed the word in his ear, his voice breathless with desire.

Duo grinned - Heero might like chain reactions, but he loved a two-for-one - 'Fei's scream had pushed Heero to his limits. '_Two points for me!_' he thought gleefully, even as he nodded to Heero and lifted Wufei's hips onto his lap. Not the easiest position, but Heero was strong and it was his party.

Heero braced himself on muscular legs and pulled Duo back on his own lap, nearly sobbing with pleasure as his slid his throbbing arousal inside his lover. Duo threw his head back and shouted Heero's name in delight, even as Wufei snapped out of his daze and maneuvered his hips quickly, more than ready to impale himself on Duo.

"No, you don't." Heero's voice was a throaty murmur as four hands grasped his waist and held him still. He gave a wordless cry of impatient displeasure - easy for them to make him wait when they were already...! His thoughts cut off as Heero guided Duo's shaft into position and Duo, still panting rapidly from adjusting to Heero, eased 'Fei gently down.

"I am not this fragile." Wufei gasped, unable to growl the words like he wanted as Duo's generous cock filled him to almost-painful fullness. Almost painful, totally pleasurable...

"Move!" he half-ordered, half-begged, but his traitorous kois waited a full minute before obeying. Finally, Heero thrust up, forcing Duo to thrust into 'Fei, causing all three of them to moan. Heero held still a single second before pulling back and thrusting again. He was rewarded with more soft moans. He kept up the torturously slow rhythm for long, sweet moments, until he began to get frustrated. He wanted it faster, and from the pleading he was getting, so did his lovers. Besides, this position was one of the hardest to maintain. His loves weren't heavy but both of them in his lap added up to sore thigh muscles if he didn't switch to some other arrangement. He kept up the slow thrusts while he tried to decide exactly what he wanted to do.

"Heero..." Duo wailed the word in a strangled voice, taking the decision away from him by wrapping his arms around Wufei and tilting forward, taking them slowly to the floor without pulling apart. As soon as 'Fei's back was against the feather-soft rug - bought after Duo had gotten a serious case of rug burn that they still teased him over - Heero threw aside the last traces of restraint and started pounding into Duo.

"Yes!" Duo shouted, and Wufei gave a strangled cry of his own. All three of them had only one word running through their heads...

_Harder, harder, **harder!**_

The new position was making Duo give wordless shouts of delight - it had moved the angle until Heero was hitting his sweet spot with every firm thrust. After a small amount of wriggling - _that_ action made Heero give some shouts of his own - he managed to start hitting 'Fei's as well.

Wufei was beyond even screams, now. He just opened and closed his mouth wordlessly, soft panting breaths all he could manage. His face was flushed a soft pink and tears were beginning to leak from those velvet eyes. Duo thought he was beautiful - Heero did too, but he wanted to see him become even more beautiful.

Wanted him to climax.

Anyway, he was almost at the end of his endurance, he'd been away from his partners for too long to keep going for a huge length of time. They could do that later. Right now, Duo was too warm, too tight, too gorgeous with the thick wavy hair sliding beneath Heero's chest... Right now, 'Fei was too exquisite to look at without coming... Right now... His hand slid between the warm, sweat-slicked bodies of his lovers and grasped Wufei's neglected erection, stroking him heavily. He wanted Wufei to come first, to make Duo come next.

Wanted his chain reaction.

Tension was dancing along Wufei's muscles, his thighs, coiling in his stomach... the sudden hand on his arousal made him feel like a dam was breaking inside him, like the pleasure was ripping through him with sudden bone-liquefying force. His eyes opened wide and his back arched, a scream tried to rip out of his throat but he couldn't breathe...

Duo groaned as Wufei's sheath clamped down tightly around his erection, the small body rippling with the force of his climax. That, combined with the beauty of that silent scream, sent him tumbling over the edge into his own climax, howling out his delight and triumph as the pleasure ripped through him, spilling into his petite lover. Behind him Heero gave a growl that increased into a roar and he felt warmth spreading through him as his other lover reached his peak in his own body.

The two taller boys collapsed slowly, getting a muffled protest from Wufei as they squashed him. Just as slowly they rolled apart, until one was lying on either side of their Dragon. Duo just lay there, one arm flung out beside him and the back of his other hand resting on 'Fei's chest. Wufei was still getting his breath under control. Heero was following his usual after-sex ritual of running his hands slowly over his lovers' sleek bodies, as if trying to memorize the feeling of soft smooth skin and the curve of muscles. His fingers lingered for a moment on favorite spots, the delicate curve of Duo's ribs, the line of the dragon's back tattooed on 'Fei's hip.

They lay in silence for several moments, just enjoying each others company as the aftershocks of their lovemaking settled.

Finally Duo stirred and stretched. "Well, that was fun! What do you guys want to do now?"

Blue eyes and black stared at him, and he laughed. "You guys look as surprised as Relena did when she found out Heero had _two_ male lovers! I'll never forget the look on her face."

Heero winced at the mention of the girl who still occasionally stalked him. "Duo - don't ruin the moment..."

Duo snickered, and subsided.

At the same time, Wufei floated up out of his daze. "How can you have any energy left after that?"

"I eat lots of sugar."

"I knew it..." Wufei snorted and turned his head until his cheek was resting against Duo's broad shoulder. Heero snuggled closer on the other side and gazed at Duo with bright blue eyes.

"When Wufei and I get our energy back, baka, what _exactly_ do you want to do?"

Duo's eyes sparkled, and the other two started feeling wary.

"Well, we ate hero sandwiches - we could _make_ a Heero sandwich - you know, just to make things match up."

"Duo..." Heero frowned teasingly even as his eyes gleamed at the thought.

"Or, we could do something I've been wanting to do again for _years_."

His lovers looked at his suspiciously innocent amethyst eyes, then shot uneasy looks at each other.

"And that would be what, exactly?" Wufei asked cautiously.

"We could play Twister!"

~and that really is The End~


End file.
